SB 423 updates Oklahoma's medical records access law by establishing standardized fees for patients and their representatives to obtain copies of medical records. Patients pay $0.50 per page for standard records, $15 for printed x-rays, and $20 for x-rays on CD/DVD, with providers prohibited from charging for searching or preparing records for the patient. The bill excludes psychological, psychiatric, mental health, and substance abuse records from these provisions, requiring separate access under different legal processes. It also sets higher fees for third parties (e.g., $20 base fee plus per-page charges for attorneys), while maintaining existing rules for disability-related requests.
This bill approves specific permanent rules proposed by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, which will govern how medical marijuana is regulated in the state. By signing off on these rules, the legislature allows the authority to enforce new guidelines for medical marijuana programs. The resolution also instructs the Secretary of State to send copies of the approved rules to the Governor and the editor of The Oklahoma Register.
HB 4423 requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to verify the immigration status of all Medicaid applicants using the federal SAVE system (or its successor) before approving benefits. It specifically mandates that the Authority notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if an applicant's status cannot be verified as lawful. This applies to all applicants, including adults applying for child-only Medicaid benefits on behalf of a child. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not change Medicaid eligibility criteria but adds a verification step for immigration status.
SB 1794 requires Oklahoma's Department of Mental Health to create a real-time statewide registry tracking mental health facility availability, directly affecting hospitals and clinics that serve patients. The registry will display current capacity, populations served, diagnostic details (without patient identifiers), admission criteria, and emergency placement contacts to improve urgent care access. Facilities must electronically update their capacity hourly (or per department rules for low-volume settings) and comply with privacy laws like HIPAA. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026, aiming to streamline emergency placements without sharing identifiable patient data.
SB 1425 repeals three existing Oklahoma statutes related to health care workforce programs: 70 O.S. 2021 §2640 (Oklahoma Health Care Workers and Educators Assistance Program) and 74 O.S. 2021 §§3200.1-3200.2 (Health Care Workforce Resources Act). This bill eliminates the legal framework for these specific programs, which previously provided assistance to health care workers and educators. The repeal takes effect on November 1, 2026, and directly affects the administrative structure and operations of those programs. No new provisions or funding are created; the bill solely removes the existing laws.
HB 3644 (the Blake Burgess Act) requires hospitals with emergency departments and ambulatory surgical centers to implement standardized VTE (venous thromboembolism, or blood clot in veins) risk assessments for patients using nationally recognized tools and provide annual training to non-physician clinical staff. It mandates a statewide VTE registry managed by a private, nonprofit entity meeting specific criteria, which hospitals must report to starting July 2027 with data including patient age, zip code, sex, diagnosis details, and treatment. The registry collects information to improve VTE care quality, monitor outcomes, and inform state health reports, with hospitals required to submit data on VTE incidence, patient demographics, and treatment. The law directly affects hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and their clinical staff through new screening, training, and reporting obligations.
HB 3834, the "Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act," establishes a framework for ibogaine clinical trials in Oklahoma. It requires drug developers to match state funding for trials, provide detailed plans for FDA approval and post-approval patient access (including priority for state residents and low-income care), and share intellectual property proceeds with the state. These proceeds fund an "Ibogaine Intellectual Property Account" managed by the State Treasurer, which must be spent on programs for at-risk populations with conditions treatable by ibogaine (like opioid use disorder). The bill also protects Oklahoma-licensed medical professionals from adverse licensing actions for recommending ibogaine therapy.
HB 3767 adds specific synthetic drugs and substances to Oklahoma's Schedule I and IV of controlled dangerous substances under state law. It directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or using the newly listed compounds, including various fentanyl analogs (like para-fluorofentanyl), synthetic hallucinogens (like psilocybin and salvia), and other novel psychoactive substances. The bill amends Oklahoma's Controlled Dangerous Substances Act by expanding the official lists in Schedule I (substances with no medical use and high abuse potential) and Schedule IV (substances with accepted medical use but potential for abuse). This creates new legal prohibitions for these substances without requiring additional medical or legal exceptions.
HB 3650 sets minimum reimbursement rates for healthcare providers treating Oklahoma Medicaid enrollees, requiring contracted entities to pay in-network providers 100% and out-of-network providers 90% of the 2021 fee schedule rates until 2035. It mandates value-based payment arrangements for providers (with quality-based incentives), requires 11% of contracted entities' healthcare spending to go toward primary care, and includes specific payment rules for rural health clinics, behavioral health centers, pharmacies, and ambulance services. The bill also establishes annual capitation rate updates and medical loss ratio penalties for non-compliant entities. It becomes effective November 1, 2026.
HB 4294 requires health insurers in Oklahoma to provide equal coverage for epilepsy as for other conditions, prohibiting termination or non-renewal of policies solely due to an epilepsy diagnosis. It mandates coverage for seizure prevention devices, surgeries, or medical procedures prescribed by an epilepsy specialist when medically necessary to reduce SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) risk. The law applies to all individual and group health insurance plans covering medical/surgical benefits and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects epilepsy patients and insurers offering such coverage in Oklahoma.
