Members of Oklahoma State Senate voted unanimously today to keep a measure alive that will help save rural hospitals across the state. A similar House measure died last week, after Republican Speaker Todd Hiett refused to allow an up-or-down vote on the House floor.

In Tuesday’s action, the Senate voted to instruct conference committee members to add language to Senate Bill 944 that will allow hospitals to impose a less than one percent fee on themselves in order to recoup millions of federal Medicaid matching dollars.

“What we did today was fight to save rural hospitals and fight to help the thousands of uninsured Oklahomans that deserve quality healthcare,” President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said. “When it became clear that Republicans in the House were going to sit by and do nothing to help these folks, we had to step in and do what was morally right for Oklahoma.”

Morgan, (D-Stillwater) said the fee, which has the support of the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Chambers of Commerce, and both major newspapers in the state, will raise $93 million in state money that will be matched by more than $200 million in federal Medicaid funding.

“We revived the bill that was killed by Republican leaders last week, but the bill is still on life-support,” Morgan said. “House leaders could kill the bill if they refuse to accept the language before Friday.”

Senator Tom Adelson, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Social Services, called on Speaker Hiett and his Republican collegues to show they really value families and allow the bill to advance through the legislative process.

“If they kill this bill again, they will again be turning their backs on the opportunity to provide affordable healthcare to our citizens,” Adelson said. “And as lawmakers, we have a duty to help those that need it the most.

“It would be colossal fiscal negligence to turn away $200 million in promised federal healthcare dollars at no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers.”

Senator Cal Hobson, (D-Lexington) added that Oklahoma has approximately 650,000 citizens who receive Medicaid services and another 650,000 who have no health insurance coverage at all – public or private.

“That means health care organizations have to shift the cost of treatment for two out of every five Oklahomans to insured patients and that cost shifting raises the cost of health care for everyone,” Hobson said. “Each of us knows someone who fits into these categories – a family member, a friend, a co-worker or a neighbor. Certainly all of us are concerned about the ever-rising cost of health care.”

Senator Jay Paul Gumm, (D-Durant) encouraged Republican House leaders to follow the lead of the Senate and stand up and be the voice for the thousands of working families who go without insurance.

“If you are interested in making tomorrow better for our children, and if you value families you will keep this bill alive,” said Gumm, who serves as Senate Assistant Majority Leader.

The measure now goes to a Senate-House Conference Committee where members must follow the instructions approved today by the Senate.

For more information contact:
Senate President Pro Tempore's Office- (405) 521-5605