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Oklahoma
State Senate
For Immediate Release: March
10, 2008 NOTE TO EDITOR: Senator Wilson (D-Tahlequah) is responding to a press release by Republican Senator James Williamson over his concerns, albeit a bit tardy, about a measure that is aimed at requiring insurance companies to pay for medically necessary health procedures Senator Jim Wilson Addresses Unfounded Concerns about SB 2114 Aimed at Making Health Insurance Policies Work for Oklahoma Families “I have to wonder why it took Senator Williamson so long to bring the concerns he has on Senate Bill 2114 to light. “I wish Senator Williamson would have brought his concerns to me personally, or brought them up in debate on the floor last Thursday rather than through a press release five days after the bill was brought up for consideration. “The patients' bill of rights bill he and his Republican colleagues oppose empowers physicians to determine "medical necessity" as opposed to health insurance plans, which are incentivized to make profit by cutting services that doctors say their patients need. “Medicare defines "medical necessity" as services or items reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of disease, illness or injury. “We'd be delighted to provide a definition of medical necessity to gain the support of Senator Williamson. And now that I am aware of Senator Williamson’s concerns, I would be happy to allow him to offer a provision that would make an exception for abortion if he truly wants to help us get this bill signed into law. “Although, I am certain such a provision won’t be necessary since a measure he authored last year was signed into law by Governor Brad Henry preventing any Oklahoma health insurance policy from paying for an abortion. “But I am certain with his support we have found the 25th vote needed to pass this bill off the Senate floor. “The term family values and “pro-life” get thrown around a lot in this building. “Standing up for Oklahoma families to make healthcare more affordable and fix a broken health insurance industry that makes record breaking profits on the backs of the sickest and most vulnerable among us is the strongest statement we can make about truly valuing a culture of life.” For more information contact:
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