I decided to start this based on a comment in another thread that indicated some people aren't aware the state is in the process of officially expanding Medicaid (not Medicare, which is the federal health program primarily for people over the age of 65). With the COVID 19 response filling the news, a lot of people are likely unaware.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority on Friday will submit to the federal government a state plan amendment seeking to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma as soon as this summer.

"The Health Care Authority has the authority to send in the paperwork to expand, and we’re going to get that out on Friday," Gov. Kevin Stitt told The Oklahoman on Thursday.

The state plan amendment will get the ball rolling for Oklahoma to seek federal approval to expand Medicaid.
The expansion will likely become effective in June or July. As a condition of expanding, the state is going to have to pay 10% of the total costs for the newly eligible population, which is expected to be $150 million a year. The legislature has not yet decided how they will fund that obligation, but several options are being considered, including increasing the assessment on hospital revenues, called the Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program. This is an assessment hospitals pay to the state, which is in turn used to get matching funding from the federal government. It is intended to keep provider reimbursements higher than they would be absent the assessment.

After expansion is in place, the Stitt Administration intends to make changes to the program. The administration is working with Health Management Associates, a consulting firm out of Michigan with ties to the Trump Administration, to submit a "Healthy Adults Opportunity" waiver application that will enact work/community engagement requirements and require those on the program to pay modest premiums.

Separate from all of this, there will soon be a state question--SQ 802-- before the people to decide whether to make the expansion part of the Oklahoma Constitution and prohibit the legislature or the Health Care Authority from adding any restrictions to the program. Governor Stitt has not yet decided when to place the question on the ballot.