SB 1645 establishes new rules for auditing long-term care providers (like nursing homes and Medicaid home-care agencies) under Oklahoma's Medicaid program. It requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to give providers 1 week's notice before audits, limits audits to 50 claims or 0.25% of annual claims, and prohibits holding providers liable for simple clerical errors (like typos) as fraud. Providers must be allowed 60 days to correct claims after an audit, and recoupments (recovery of overpaid funds) can only apply to corrected claims, not original billing errors. The bill also creates a two-step appeals process, allowing providers to challenge audit results through the Authority and then to an administrative law judge.
SB 1344 creates Oklahoma's Insulin Access and Affordability Program, administered by the State Department of Health, to increase access to affordable insulin for residents. The bill requires the Department to provide financial support to a nonprofit pharmaceutical manufacturer developing fast-acting biosimilar insulin, contingent on the manufacturer matching funds and agreeing to produce insulin at low cost without rebates (except as required by law). The agreement includes annual reporting on development progress and repayment terms if the insulin isn't produced and distributed as promised. This program directly affects Oklahoma residents needing insulin, public and private payors, and the specified nonprofit manufacturer.
SB 1142 allocates $100,000 from unallocated state funds to Oklahoma's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funding is intended to support the department's existing duties, including providing mental health and substance abuse services to Oklahomans. The bill declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval, bypassing standard legislative timelines. This is a procedural funding measure, not a policy change, and remains pending before the Appropriations Committee.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the "Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund" for Oklahoma's tobacco settlement funds. It requires that at least 75% of new tobacco settlement payments (after 2001) be deposited into this trust fund, with specific percentages increasing over time. The trust fund's earnings must be used for cancer research, tobacco prevention programs, children's health initiatives, senior care programs, and education-related expenses, with unused funds remaining in the trust. The amendment creates two governing boards to manage investments and allocate funds, and it would require voter approval before taking effect.
HB 3901 establishes a pilot program for psychological autopsies in Oklahoma, which investigate ambiguous deaths (like suicides) to reconstruct a deceased person's mental state and influences. The Commissioner of Health must appoint a full-time psychological autopsy examiner who will submit annual progress reports and coordinate with mental health and medical examiner offices. The pilot runs until November 1, 2031, with a recommendation for permanency or termination. Its goal is to use data from these reviews to inform suicide prevention efforts, without changing existing laws or creating new obligations for individuals.
HB 3194 protects Oklahoma pregnancy centers from state mandates requiring them to provide abortion services, contraception, or referrals. The bill prohibits state agencies from forcing centers to offer abortion-inducing drugs, post promotional materials for abortion, restrict services based on their pro-life stance, or interfere with their staffing decisions. It also allows centers to sue for triple damages (minimum $10,000) if state agencies violate these provisions. The law directly affects pregnancy centers - both general and medical - and state agencies that might attempt to impose such requirements. It focuses on preventing government compulsion, not restricting abortion access.
HB 2834 requires Oklahoma's Medicaid program to cover 96% of Medicare's payment rates for in-home physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. This directly affects Oklahoma Medicaid recipients needing these specific therapies by ensuring providers receive a standardized reimbursement rate. The bill sets a new reimbursement standard for these services, effective July 1, 2025, rather than expanding eligibility. It passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives with 64-25 support but did not secure emergency status.
HB 3130 prohibits Oklahoma state agencies, contractors, and public institutions from using state funds for gender transition procedures for minors, including allocation, referral, or contracting with providers offering such care. It also protects parents' rights by stating that withholding consent for gender transition procedures does not constitute child abuse or grounds for losing custody. The bill amends medical licensure laws to classify aiding or abetting gender transition procedures as unprofessional conduct, subjecting medical professionals to disciplinary action by licensing boards. These provisions apply directly to state-funded healthcare providers, minors receiving medical care, and licensed physicians or medical staff.
HB 3342, the "Oklahoma Medicaid Audit Bill of Rights Act," establishes new rules for Medicaid audits of healthcare providers. It requires auditors to provide at least one week's notice before an audit, limits audit scope to 50 claims or 0.25% of a provider's billed claims (whichever is greater), bans the use of extrapolation to calculate overpayments, and mandates that audits involving clinical judgment be conducted by specialists in the same field. The bill also guarantees providers 60 days to respond to audit findings, prohibits recoupment for simple clerical errors, and requires clear appeals processes. These changes directly protect healthcare providers who bill Oklahoma's Medicaid program by making audit procedures more transparent and fair.
HB 3266 amends Oklahoma law to expand the definition of Class D2 felony offenses, adding 22 specific violations including reckless driving that causes a collision (Section 11-901, item 10). It also includes multiple abortion-related offenses such as performing abortions after the first trimester, violating pain-awareness laws, and conducting abortions on minors without consent (items 11-19). The bill specifies penalties: Class D2 felons face up to 2 years in prison (with 20% mandatory service), increasing to 5-10 years for repeat offenders. It exempts certain offenses (like abortion violations) from these penalties, instead applying existing statutes. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of these specific offenses under Oklahoma Statutes.
