'Devil is in the details': Oklahoma lawmakers react to Stitt's health care plan

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday his health care plan that involves expanding Oklahoma’s Medicaid program to cover able-bodied, working adults through a block grant.

Here’s how Republican and Democratic leaders in Oklahoma’s House and Senate responded to the governor’s proposal.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka:

“I appreciate the governor’s leadership. He wants to roll out what he feels like is an Oklahoma plan. That is what the Legislature wants as well. We want a plan that works for our people here in the state of Oklahoma. We prefer a plan that is not a federal, crammed-down program, a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approach to health care. I am very encouraged by the initial comments we heard. ... We will be looking at those details a little closer in the future, and that will be, I think, a priority issue."

House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman:

“Frankly, I think it is too little too late. It seems like a desperate attempt to head off what it looks like the voters will approve either in June or November (with State Question 802). I really do not like that it looks like we are being used as a state, our healthcare system is being used as a campaign talking point for this presidential administration. ... There are a lot of negatives with block grants when it comes to people who actually need treatment under the system.”

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City:"

"I’m excited we’re trying to take our destiny into our own hands of not just allowing Medicaid expansion carte blanche to be in the constitution, but trying to come up with an Oklahoma plan that’s customized. One of the concerns I had early on when we were having this discussion during the interim was I worried about the timetable about 'how do you get it implemented? Is it going to be a six-to-18-month process to have the state plan amendment adopted?' Seeing Seema Verma and the governor standing side-by-side gives you some comfort there’s a more expedited approach to getting something like this done."

Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City:

“We are open to looking at anything he presents. ... We are going to look at it, we’ll digest it, we’ll check the numbers. It sounds like it is a plan that has not been used in any other state. I think that because we don’t have a prototype in other states, that we really need to do a deep dive. I don’t mind us being first in things, but something this big, I’d feel a little better if we had other states that had learned from their mistakes so we wouldn’t have to. But we’ll do what we need to do.”

Rep. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health:

“From what I can tell, it looks very promising, and it could actually revolutionize health care in the state of Oklahoma. ... It definitely does increase access to health care to 138% of the poverty level. It does capture our federal tax dollars. ... And no tax increase on the citizens. ... The devil is in the details in all of these things, and we don’t have all the details yet.”

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