Potential Medicaid Cuts Looming

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- State lawmakers and the governor fear by late August Medicaid won't have enough money to fund everything. The concern comes after State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland objected to the bill that would have helped fund Medicaid because she felt it was unconstitutional.

"If the challenge is successful, we lose in excess of $200 million. It essentially blows a giant hole in the state budget we just finished," said Paul Sund, the governor's spokesperson. 

Sund said if the courts side with Holland's argument, health care for patients, funding for hospitals, nursing homes and doctors would all be in jeopardy.

"It's a possible train wreck that would affect thousands of Oklahomans," said Sund.

However, in a press release Holland stated, "As an officer of the state, I have a sworn duty to support and uphold our state's Constitution. After thoroughly reviewing the new law with the department's general counsel, I believe it violates that trust."

And the violators are the lawmakers who had a hand in trying to pass the bill which would fund Medicaid with a 1 percent tax on all paid health care claims in the state.

According to Marc Young, a spokesperson for the Insurance Commission, "that measure was passed in the final hours of the session and didn't muster the required three-fourths majority, supermajority."

Both, the constitution said, are required for any new measures.

"We are tested. Societies, at times, are tested by whether or not they follow the Constitution in time of crises and it's unfortunate we are in a situation where we have to decide between the budget and the Constitution," said Young.