Healthcare

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SB 1036: Ambulance service; requiring coverage for certain services. Effective date.

SB 1036, the "Oklahoma Triage, Treat, and Transport to Alternative Destination Act," requires health insurers in Oklahoma to cover specific ambulance services starting January 1, 2026. It mandates coverage for ambulance providers treating patients in place, triaging/treating/transporting to lower-acuity facilities (like urgent care or mental health centers), or for encounters resulting in no transport. This affects insurers, ambulance services, and people covered by health insurance plans. The law excludes hospitals, dialysis centers, and residential settings from "alternative destinations" and sets minimum reimbursement rates for ambulance services. It applies to all new or renewed health insurance contracts on or after the effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer coverage for non-transport ambulance services including mental health centers, expanding access to lower-acuity care without hospital transport.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 4, 2025

SB 534: Medical marijuana license; allowing licensee to provide certain services; providing certain requirements for issuance of certain license; allowing certain annual permit to be issued to certain licensee. Effective date.

SB 534 amends Oklahoma's medical marijuana transportation license rules to allow license holders to transport marijuana directly to patients, in addition to moving it between licensed facilities. This affects existing medical marijuana retailers, growers, and processors who hold transportation licenses. The key change requires all transported marijuana to be in a locked, clearly labeled container marked "Medical Marijuana or Derivative," and explicitly permits transport from licensed retailers to patients. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and does not create new licenses but modifies existing transportation provisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables direct patient access to medical marijuana, improving healthcare service delivery per bill's transport provisions85% confidence

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 1769: Insurance; purchase of benefits by school district employees; enrollment period; effective date.

HB 1769 modifies Oklahoma school district health insurance benefits for employees. It sets minimum monthly flexible benefit allowances: $69.71 for certified staff (like teachers) and $189.69 for support staff (like aides) if they opt out of the district’s health plan. Employees who don’t use their full allowance to cover health benefits receive the excess as taxable cash payments. The bill requires annual enrollment between November 1 and December 15, with specific rules for mid-year terminations and unused allowances.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates minimum health benefit allowances for school employees, ensuring baseline coverage under district plans and preventing benefit reduction.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentSets minimum health benefit allowances for school employees, allowing unused portions as taxable cash, expanding employee benefits under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1473: Revenue and taxation; Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act; definitions; income tax deduction; effective date.

HB 1473, the "Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act," allows Oklahoma residents who are active members of qualifying health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) to deduct their membership contributions from their state income taxes starting in 2026. It treats these deductions similarly to health insurance premiums, applying to self-employed individuals, employer contributions (as nontaxable benefits), and individuals covering themselves or dependents. To claim the deduction, members must provide documentation of contributions and membership, and false claims could result in $500 penalties per offense and three years of ineligibility. Funds received from HCSMs for medical expenses will not be considered taxable income under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllows tax deduction for health care sharing ministry memberships, providing tax relief similar to health insurance premiums, directly impacting state taxation policy.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows tax deductions for health care sharing ministry memberships, treating them like insurance premiums to expand coverage alternatives and improve access to health coverage options.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Insurance

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 2233: Professions and occupations; Massage Therapy Act; Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision; effective date.

HB 2233 updates Oklahoma's Massage Therapy Practice Act by clarifying licensing rules and scope of practice for massage therapists. It directly affects licensed massage therapists, massage therapy schools, and other health professionals who may provide massage services. Key changes include renaming the regulating board to the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, explicitly allowing "direct access" (public can seek massage without medical referral), and defining massage therapy as soft tissue techniques (e.g., touch, pressure, heat) while prohibiting diagnosis, prescribing, or medical techniques like ultrasound. The bill also clarifies exemptions for physicians, students, and specific practices like the Feldenkrais Method when performed within their established professional scope.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows direct access to massage therapy without medical referral, improving patient access to health services per bill's scope of practice update.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1674: Nursing homes; Nursing Homes Care Act; definition; effective date.

HB 1674 amends Oklahoma's Nursing Home Care Act by adding specific definitions to clarify key terms used in the law. It defines terms like "abuse" (willful injury or confinement causing harm), "access" (rights for ombudsman and case managers to visit facilities), and "administrator" (requiring at least one-third of work time for on-site supervision). These definitions directly affect nursing homes, their administrators, state regulators, and residents by establishing clear standards for care and oversight. The bill does not create new requirements but clarifies existing legal language to improve implementation of the Nursing Home Care Act.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies nursing home care definitions (abuse, access, administrator) to establish clear standards, protecting residents and strengthening regulatory enforcement per Nursing Home Care Act amendments.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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died · Oklahoma · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 2931: Insurance; Oklahoma Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association coverage; annuities; effective date.

This bill clarifies eligibility for Oklahoma's Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association coverage when an insurer fails. It ensures Oklahoma residents automatically receive coverage for life, health, and annuity policies, while non-residents may qualify only if the insurer was based in Oklahoma and no other state provides coverage. The bill specifically excludes structured settlement annuities from certain coverage rules and prevents duplicate coverage across states. It does not create new benefits but defines who qualifies under existing law, excluding reinsurance, self-funded employer plans, and certain policy features like dividends or marketing claims.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures automatic health insurance coverage for Oklahoma residents when insurers fail, protecting access to health coverage without restrictions or defunding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 24, 2026

SB 277: Paid leave; creating the Oklahoma State Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act; providing for eligibility and duration of benefits; specifying qualifications. Effective date.

This bill proposes creating Oklahoma's first state-run paid family and medical leave insurance program. It would provide eligible workers (including employees and self-employed individuals who opt in) with up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually for childbirth, caring for a seriously ill family member, or personal medical needs. Benefits would be calculated based on the worker's average weekly earnings during their base period, with employers required to provide notice about the program and protect workers from retaliation for using benefits. The Oklahoma Department of Labor would administer the program, establish claim procedures, and require employers to maintain existing leave obligations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates state-run paid medical leave insurance, expanding access to healthcare time-off for medical needs and childbirth.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates Oklahoma's first state-run paid family/medical leave program, expanding worker benefits for childbirth, family care, and medical needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 2133: Public health and safety; creating the Public Health and Safety Modernization Act of 2025; effective date.

HB 2133 modernizes Oklahoma's prescribing rules for healthcare providers and controlled substances. It allows pharmacists to fill non-controlled prescriptions from out-of-state advanced practice nurses or physician assistants (if licensed in their home state), but restricts out-of-state prescribers from writing prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances - only Oklahoma-licensed practitioners supervised by Oklahoma physicians can do this. The bill also requires medical facilities prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, or similar drugs long-term to register with the state, and mandates detailed monthly reporting for manufacturers/distributors of controlled substances. These changes directly affect pharmacists, out-of-state healthcare providers, medical facilities, and drug manufacturers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access for non-controlled prescriptions from out-of-state providers while modernizing prescribing rules, improving patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 361: Indigenous or traditional healing therapies; granting certain protections to practitioners; prohibiting certain acts. Effective date.

SB 361 protects indigenous traditional healing practitioners in Oklahoma who lack state healthcare licenses. It prohibits them from performing medical procedures (like surgery or prescribing drugs) or falsely claiming licensure, while shielding them from penalties under healthcare laws when practicing traditional methods within defined limits. The bill defines "indigenous or traditional healing therapy" and ensures practitioners cannot be penalized for offering culturally specific wellness services that comply with its restrictions. Effective November 1, 2025, it codifies these protections in Oklahoma Statutes (Title 59, Section 732).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects indigenous practitioners from penalties for traditional healing services, improving access to culturally specific healthcare options without restricting medical procedures.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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