Proposed state question that could roll back Medicaid expansion clears House committee

OKLAHOMA CITY — House lawmakers advanced a measure on March 5 that would ask voters to give lawmakers the option to roll back Medicaid expansion.

House Joint Resolution 1067, authored by Rep. Ryan Eaves, R-Atoka, would allow the Legislature to decline covering the cost of Medicaid expansion if the federal match drops below its current rate of 90%.

“I just trust the people of Oklahoma to have the wherewithal to understand that if we don’t have the option, we would be facing serious issues in other parts of the state budget in the foreseeable future,” Eaves said.

Oklahoma voters enshrined Medicaid expansion into the state Constitution in 2020. It requires that coverage be offered to all adults below age 65 who make less than $21,597 a year.

Eaves said his bill would give voters the opportunity to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to give the state the option to drop out if the federal government passes more of the expansion costs onto states.

“Some of the benefits are this will protect Oklahoma’s fiscal responsibility and preserve flexibility and health policy and encourage responsible expansion based on federal support,” he said.

Gov. Kevin Stitt in his State of the State address also suggested making changes to Medicaid expansion through a state question, but did not detail what those changes would be.

State Rep. Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City, said she was concerned that Eaves’ bill creates an “on and off switch” for providing health care for Oklahomans.

“What a terrible idea,” said House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. “Oklahomans have already spoken that they wanted to expand Medicaid so that more Oklahomans would have access to health care, so that our rural hospitals stay open, services are provided, and doctors will come and practice medicine in Oklahoma. The reason why we’re here today, first, is because Republicans would not expand Medicaid over a decade ago.”

The resolution passed through the Rules Committee with a 8-2 vote along party lines and is eligible to be heard on the House Floor.

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