Healthcare

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 1606: Professions of occupations; Massage Therapy Act; Oklahoma Massage Therapy Board; effective date.

HB 1606 establishes the Oklahoma Massage Therapy Board to regulate the profession and amends Oklahoma's Massage Therapy Practice Act. The bill sets licensing requirements for massage therapists and schools, prohibits unlicensed practice using terms like "massage therapist," and defines the scope of practice (e.g., therapists cannot diagnose illness, use ultrasound, or prescribe medicine). It clarifies that physicians and other licensed health professionals providing services within their scope do not need additional massage therapy licensing, and permits limited exceptions for students, visiting instructors, and emergency response teams. The bill is currently pending after being withdrawn from committees in February 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates massage therapy profession to ensure safety standards, protecting patients from unqualified practitioners within healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 691: Law enforcement; requiring the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop certain program. Effective date.

SB 691 requires Oklahoma's Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to create a voluntary program offering specialized training for law enforcement officers to handle mental health crisis calls. Officers who complete the training will be designated as "law enforcement mental health specialists." The bill mandates these agencies to develop the program and establish rules for its implementation, effective November 1, 2025. This directly affects participating officers and aims to improve responses to mental health emergencies involving law enforcement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates mental health crisis training for law enforcement to reduce unnecessary criminalization and improve officer responses, a key criminal justice reform initiative.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires specialized mental health training for law enforcement to improve crisis response, directly supporting mental health services access and coordination.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Mental Health Substance Abuse

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died · Oklahoma · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 1119: Oklahoma Right to Shop Act; definitions; shared savings incentive program and insurance carrier obligations; effective date.

HB 1119 creates an optional "shared savings incentive program" for Oklahoma health insurance carriers, allowing them to offer financial rewards to people with health insurance who choose providers charging less than the average rate paid by the insurer for comparable services. The bill requires carriers to provide incentives of at least 25% of the savings generated when enrollees use out-of-network providers who agree to accept rates below the average allowed amount, calculated as a cash payment or credit toward deductibles. Carriers must disclose program details, publish provider rates and incentives online, and report participation data annually to the Insurance Department. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, and applies to all health benefit plans offered by Oklahoma-licensed insurance carriers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates shared savings incentives (25% cash rewards) for lower-cost provider use, promoting affordable access and cost reduction in healthcare services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 11, 2025

SB 1025: Health care; creating the Oklahoma Rebate Pass-Through and Pharmacy Benefits Manager Meaningful Transparency Act of 2025; clarifying authority to take certain actions. Effective date.

SB 1025, titled the Oklahoma Rebate Pass-Through and Pharmacy Benefits Manager Meaningful Transparency Act of 2025, requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to disclose their "aggregate retained rebate percentage" - the portion of drug rebates they retain instead of passing to health plans. It directly affects PBMs and covered entities like insurers, hospitals, and employers providing health coverage in Oklahoma. Key provisions mandate PBMs to calculate and report this percentage annually, define terms for transparency, establish cost-sharing rules, and create penalties for noncompliance. The bill aims to increase clarity around how drug rebates flow through the system, without altering health plan benefits or formulary requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates PBMs to disclose rebate retention rates, promoting transparency to potentially lower drug costs for health plans and patients.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 2942: Revenue and taxation; Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act; definitions; income tax deduction; effective date.

HB 2942, the "Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act," allows Oklahoma residents who are active members of Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSMs) to deduct their qualified health care sharing expenses from their state income tax starting in 2027. It directly affects Oklahoma residents using HCSMs - non-profit organizations that share medical costs based on shared ethical or religious beliefs - by granting them tax treatment similar to health insurance premiums. Key provisions include permitting deductions for self-employed individuals and employer contributions (treated as nontaxable benefits), requiring documentation to claim the deduction, and ensuring funds received from HCSMs are not considered taxable income. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026, with the Oklahoma Tax Commission overseeing implementation and reporting.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCreates new tax deduction for HCSM members, reducing state tax revenue and expanding tax breaks beyond standard health insurance.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows tax deduction for HCSM expenses, treating them like insurance premiums, expanding tax-advantaged healthcare access for religious/ethical groups.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Insurance

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1479: Health insurance; health insurance plan providing prescription drug coverage; insurance notification; effective date.

HB 1479 requires health insurance plans covering prescription drugs in Oklahoma to allow pharmacies to bid for contracts to provide pharmacy services at least every three years. It also mandates that insurers notify customers in writing at least 30 days before premium renewal if a medication they previously used will no longer be covered. The bill exempts insurers with open pharmacy networks from these requirements. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, affecting insurers, pharmacies, and policyholders.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to notify patients 30 days before medication coverage changes and mandates pharmacy bidding every 3 years, improving transparency, protecting patient rights, and preventing sudden loss of access to prescriptions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 28, 2025

HB 1380: Oklahoma Health Care Authority; Insulin Access and Affordability Program; effective date; emergency.

HB 1380 creates Oklahoma's Insulin Access and Affordability Program within the State Department of Health to lower insulin costs and improve access. The program requires the state to partner with nonprofit pharmaceutical companies and organizations to secure fast-acting insulin at capped prices: $30 per vial or $55 per pack of five pre-filled pens, with agreements detailing projected savings for Oklahoma residents and self-insured plans. It directly affects Oklahomans using insulin, particularly those on public or private insurance, by aiming to reduce out-of-pocket costs through competitive pricing. The program takes effect July 1, 2025, and requires nonprofits to commit to specific price points and savings reporting.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Oklahoma's Insulin Access Program capping costs at $30/vial, directly improving patient access to essential medication and lowering costs for residents.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 25, 2025

HB 1812: Supervision of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses; definitions; eligibility requirements for physicians; limits; exceptions; responsibilities; disciplinary action; penalties; effective date.

HB 1812 modifies supervision rules for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) working in hospitals. The bill specifically changes requirements so that hospitals - not all healthcare facilities - must oversee APRNs employed by or contracted with them. Key provisions clarify that hospitals must establish supervision protocols for these nurses, while exempting APRNs working outside hospital settings. This directly affects hospital-employed APRNs and the hospitals responsible for their oversight, with no changes to other nurse supervision standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies hospital supervision for APRNs, enabling expanded care access without unnecessary restrictions for hospital-employed nurses while exempting non-hospital settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Medical Licensing

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 1135: Health insurance; premium taxes; clarifying applicability of certain exclusion; premium tax credit; creating certain exclusion. Emergency.

SB 1135 allocates $100,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to support its operations. The bill declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval. This legislation provides specific funding for the Authority's duties without altering existing health insurance or tax policies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $100k from General Revenue Fund to fund Oklahoma Health Care Authority operations, directly advancing state budget allocation for essential services without tax policy changes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $100k to Oklahoma Health Care Authority for operations, directly funding public health services without altering existing policies.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Tax Credits Insurance

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 1002: Gender transition procedures; prohibiting certain use of public funds; providing penalties. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1002 prohibits state and local government health facilities and providers from offering or referring for gender transition procedures using public funds. It blocks all public funding for such procedures and bans government-employed health providers from performing them. Violations could result in termination for employees or criminal penalties including fines up to $10,000 or jail time for providers. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits public funding for gender transition procedures, restricting access to a specific healthcare service and defunding a public health initiative.95% confidence

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