Excellent point here!

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

As it turns out, there's a big difference between medical care and health care. Because a patient's health condition, after all, is partly their responsibility.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/medical-care-vs-health-care/

Medicaid Explodes, States are on the Hook http://ow.ly/DvC2100pAGX

Medicaid Explodes

New Medicaid enrollments vastly exceed estimates, and states are on the hook, the Wall Street Journal writes in an editorial.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/DvC2100pAGX

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Imagine for a moment that you are in a board room of a hospital and you suggest in a strategic planning meeting that you can distinguish yourself in the marketplace from you competitors by just not ripping people off.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/what-if-hospitals-didnt-rip-people-off/

Socialized medicine is handing control of your healthcare to politicians. Here's the latest from the UK.

NHS bosses 'trying to keep cuts secret' - BBC News

NHS chiefs have tried to keep local plans to cut hospital services in England secret, a study finds.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/FrGh3069nXC

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Recently I was asked to Washington D.C., to testify before the House Budget Committee GOP and Rep. Tom Price on the distorting role government plays in healthcare markets. Here's what I had to say:

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/the-benefits-of-competition/

A physician explains why Obama's focus on insurance coverage is a political smokescreen: "Doctors like me look at health insurance very differently than Obama does. To us, insurance often presents a cumbersome roadblock to actual health care."

Dr. Marc Siegel: Why this doctor hates Obamacare

When President Obama gave an impassioned defense of Obamacare last week in advance of this November

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/vFP9305ASIO

NC Blue Cross announces rate increase of 24.3 percent for ACA...

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has announced it will increase premiums for Affordable Care Act plans on the individual market by an...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/pUw2305iJiZ

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Recently, a U.S. Congressman attempted to delegitimize the free market healthcare movement because he described a situation in which healthcare could not be priced ahead of time. Here's my response.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/the-case-for-transparent-pricing/

"How bad is the problem? Nobody really knows." Of course, some people will say, just ratchet up the subsidies even more ... more free stuff! The problem is, at some point, you run out of other people's money....

The Obamacare problem that Democrats don't want to talk about

A looming affordability challenge that the White House rarely discusses.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.vox.com/2016/10/11/13189132/obamacare-problem-democrats

"Smug propagandists for Obamacare, such as liberal magazine Mother Jones, continue to dismiss the plight of millions of families like mine and accuse us of concocting a 'phony' crisis. But it's the architects of Obamacare who prevaricated all along. Remember: Obamacare godfather and MIT professor Jonathan Gruber bragged that 'lack of transparency' was a 'huge political advantage,' along with what he derided as 'the stupidity of the American voter.'"

Obama Lied. My Third Health Plan Just Died. | RealClearPolitics

Once was a shock. Twice was an outrage. Thrice is a nightmare that won't end. Over the past three years, my family's private, individual health insurance plan -- a high-deductible Preferred Provider...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/10/12/obama_lied_my_third_health_plan_just_died_132035.html

So here's where Obamacare is today... Millions of Americans are losing their health plans. When they look for a new plan, there are fewer choices. The plans that remain cost more--far, far more when we consider the subsidies taxpayers are forced to pay. And, as this article points out at the end, even people who are paying more are getting less and worried about losing access to doctors and treatments they need.

More Than 1 Million in Obamacare Are Set to Lose Plans as Insurers Quit

A growing number of people in Obamacare are finding out their health insurance plans will disappear from the program next year, forcing them to...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/SK8K305c8tM

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Oklahomans on Obamacare may see their insurance rates skyrocket. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, the only health insurer offering plans on the federal exchange in 2017, has submitted increases for individual market plans ranging from 58 to 96 percent.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://kfor.com/2016/10/05/obamacare-premiums-in-oklahoma-skyrocketing/

"Between rate increases and the severe decline in competition as insurers make their exits, policy holders will be left scrambling this fall to determine whether they can cut back elsewhere to afford the growing costs of health insurance. If not, they'll be forced to swallow the bitter pill of paying the tax penalty imposed by ObamaCare's individual mandate on those who lack coverage."

ObamaCare's Death Spiral Has Begun

Will the last one out of ObamaCare please turn off the lights? That's a question that health insurers and individual Americans both may want to...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/wI38304C8mM

"President Obama promised us change. And change things have – especially our skyrocketing health insurance premiums. ... We need an approach to health care that actually drives costs down rather than the most egregious anti-business provisions of the ACA, which are causing health insurance premiums to rise to unsustainable levels. One such provision is the Health Insurance Tax."

Rep. Tom Newell: What pro-business means

An outright repeal of the Affordable Care Act is the only way to make health insurance affordable again.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/5Tlf304A74Z

Teachers and state employees are better off this year because of a simple change to their health insurance. Two crazy things: 1) Just adding another choice of care providers is going to save millions of dollars, shared by workers and taxpayers; 2) Hospitals like OU Medical Center oppose giving people more health care choices!

The Trent England Show

Dr. Keith Smith with Surgery Center of Oklahoma talks about a program helping teachers and state employees save on medical expenses, and why the nation's problems with health care are not the result of the failure of the free market, but the absence of it. Plus, what to look for during the first presidential debate. Listen to today's podcast below or on iTunes at http://apple.co/2ay5nky.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/episode/the-trent-england-show-sept-26-2016

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

The phrase 'population health management' sounds benign enough, but it is very scary, particularly for anyone with an underlying medical problem.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/beware-of-population-health-management/

"The Obama administration has only itself to blame for the ObamaCare failures—first for jamming this bill through Congress despite warnings that the structure of the bill was an economic disaster, and then for exacerbating the breakdown through its regulatory dictates. The ACA was sold on the pretense that we could have a private, competitive market...."

Obama Sabotages ObamaCare

The ACA and the administration's whack-a-mole regulations are responsible for double-digit premium increases and for the exodus of insurers from selling individual policies in the ObamaCare exchanges.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2016/08/29/obama-sabotages-obamacare/#5622124841e2

This is actually happening in Oklahoma, as documented by KFOR-TV. State workers and teachers are being allowed more health care choices. The result is that they save money (and probably get better care), and taxpayers save a lot of money, too. This is what competition does. It exerts a force on providers to be more transparent, to prove their quality, and to find ways to lower their costs in order to lower their prices in order to compete. It's common sense. It is exactly the opposite of Obamaca

FREE surgery for Oklahoma teachers, state workers

OKLAHOMA CITY — This year has been tough for state employees and teachers. Two revenue failures at the state capitol spelled out fiscal hardship...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/f1Yb304sM6j

"Ohio's experience: At least four insurers sold Obamacare policies in each of Ohio's 88 counties for 2016, Taylor said. But in 2017, '19 counties will have just one insurer selling exchange products and 28 counties will have just two.' "'This is not the competition and choice that the country was promised in 2010, to say nothing of the rate increase that Ohio has seen since the implementation of the ACA,' she said. "Since the start of Obamacare, average premiums for individuals buying on Ohio's

Republicans want change in Obamacare: Rates rising, insurers leaving, they say

A Senate hearing Thursday was dominated by Republican senators and Obamacare critics, but it offered a preview of themes to come.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2016/09/obamacare_pre-election_rates_a.html

"As ObamaCare’s troubles mount, I’ve heard my patients and my peers in healthcare ask: How could the law’s authors not have seen this coming? "For my part, I think a different question needs to be asked: What if they did?"

A doctor asks: Was ObamaCare designed to fail?

Every day, it seems like there are a dozen new headlines about the crisis facing ObamaCare. Premiums are rising faster than ever. Meanwhile, health...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/tP8N304mvTN

"Obamacare’s boosters are loath to admit that there might be something wrong with the structure of a law that they have celebrated as a glorious success from the day it passed. Instead, they will now argue that Republicans are sabotaging it by declining to double down on its subsidies."

Obamacare Stumbles On

Obamacare regulations make health insurance more expensive and keep insurers from conducting their business on a rational basis.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.nationalreview.com/article/439493/obamacare-failing-insurance-companies-pull-back-marketplaces-become-monopolies

"It looks like 2017 could be Obamacare's worst year yet." http://ow.ly/hk0o100k01P

Clinton's Stealthy Single-Payer Gambit

Scott Gottlieb writes that Hillary Clinton may try to implement single-payer health care in the U.S.—without congressional approval.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/hk0o100k01P

The Trent England Show

"What happened? Why were Obama's critics so completely right? It isn't that complicated. The trouble is, the Obamacare law outlaws real health insurance."

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/post/obamacare-exchanges-crumble

"There are a great many obvious reasons to oppose the public option. Perhaps the most neglected reason to oppose it is that the people arguing for the public option aren't telling the truth.... They want to crowd private insurers out of the marketplace altogether, leaving the government as the sole provider of health care, a.k.a. a 'single-payer' system."

Yes, the Public Option is a 'Trojan Horse' to Destroy Private Health...

Recently, there's been renewed interest in reviving the public option. Loosely, the public option is a policy proposal to create a giant...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/14qr303y5kI

Last week, Tennessee officials warned the Obamacare exchange in that state is "near collapse" as they were forced to sign off on massive premium increases. Turns out even a big company can't lose $500 million in three years and just take it in stride. (And thank Congress for blocking the Obama Administration's insurance company bailout scheme to paper all this over with more federal debt.)

Tennessee insurance commissioner: Obamacare exchange 'very near collapse'

Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak signed off on hefty premium hikes in an extraordinary bid to keep the program afloat.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/industries/health-care/2016/08/23/insurers-get-approval-for-2017-obamacare-rates/89196762/

Tomorrow morning Obamacare is going to be the topic on this radio show, exposing how it's broken the law and the bank....

The Trent England Show

Obamacare "has never been as threatened as it is right now," says Brian Blase of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Tune in tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. to hear Brian explain why Obama's signature achievement is failing most Americans and how to fix it.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://mercatus.org/expert_commentary/aca-brink

It's worth remembering that the Oklahoma Heath Care Authority wanted to push more poor women and children into the Obamacare exchange, which is a disaster. How much of a disaster? This county is the first to have zero providers in the exchange, but probably not the last.

The county Obamacare forgot

With Aetna's exit, residents of Pinal County, Ariz., may be unable to get subsidized health coverage at all next year.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/the-county-obamacare-forgot-227251

Since when is it a social problem that some people do not qualify for welfare handouts? Great article from the Idaho Freedom Foundation.

Let's make the Medicaid 'gap population' bigger

This month marks the 20th anniversary of federal welfare reform. Such was a bipartisan public policy achievement made possible by the belief that government should not trap people forever in

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://idahostatejournal.com/opinion/columns/let-s-make-the-medicaid-gap-population-bigger/article_54cf47a4-2207-58df-960b-163ce7f62a27.html

Who benefits from the massive Obamacare cost overruns? Future taxpayers will face crushing bills while today's big hospitals, big insurance companies, and big federal and state bureaucracies make out like bandits. No, not "like" bandits ... they are worse than thieves, who at least usually admit that they are stealing. "A study last year from economists at Harvard, Dartmouth, and MIT found that Medicaid enrollees value program benefits at only between 20 to 40 cents for each dollar of spending.

Cost of Medicaid expansion far exceeds initial estimates

By Brian Blase Washington experts have been frequently wrong about the Affordable Care Act. They projected far more enrollees in ACA exchanges than materialized. They also projected that the individual insurance market would stabilize in 2016 with robust competition. Instead, the country is grapplin...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20160815_Commentary__Cost_of_Medicaid_expansion_far_exceeds_initial_estimates.html

"Canceled health insurance plans, shrinking networks, surging premiums and failed co-ops resulting from President Obama’s 2010 health law are only hiccups compared to Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. "Unlike other major parts of the law, Medicaid expansion is covering more people than intended. This is terrible news for taxpayers, and it will only get worse with the next economic downturn."

Lawmakers Sleep Through Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion Nightmare

BY JASON HART -- The nation is stuck with Obamacare or something like it for the foreseeable future.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/08/15/lawmakers-sleep-through-obamacares-medicaid-expansion-nightmare/#616509de544b

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

When you cut out the middleman, healthcare costs plummet. This is the story of how 'disintermediation' saved one patient $500 on medication.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/add-disintermediation-to-your-vocabulary/

"Obamacare would cost far more than the White House was claiming, we cautioned when the federal health insurance takeover was being debated. But President Barack Obama, taking time out from assuring Americans that if we liked our health insurance and our doctors we could keep them, labeled such warnings as falsehoods. ... "Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported to Congress that expanding Medicaid cost ... 49 percent more than had been claimed.... Do the math: If estim

Obamacare Cost Claims Falsehoods | News, Sports, Jobs - The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register

Obamacare Cost Claims Falsehoods Editorials Aug 15, 2016 Obamacare would cost far more than the White House was claiming, we cautioned when the federal health insurance takeover was being debated. But President Barack Obama, taking time out from assuring Americans that if we liked our health insuran...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.theintelligencer.net/opinion/editorials/2016/08/obamacare-cost-claims-falsehoods/

Part of the answer to the Obamacare mess is free-market medicine, bringing honest prices and competition back to healthcare. Whether I'm looking at my smartphone or watching the Olympics, I see competition producing excellence (and, in the case of the amazing technology most of us now use every day, driving down prices). I'm sure they'll talk about these ideas at the upcoming FMMA conference in OKC--details below.

The importance of clarity

August 18-20. The FMMA Conference schedule includes distinguished free market speakers, business best practice discussions, and quality networking.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/the-importance-of-clarity/

Even the feds now admit to massive cost overruns from Medicaid expansion. Obama and Obamacare supporters were either liars or, at best, mindless peddlers of false information. But today, supporters of Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma have no excuse.

Medicaid estimate renews cost concerns over 'Obamacare'

"In a recent report to Congress, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the cost of expansion was $6,366 per person for 2015, about 49 percent higher than previously estimated."

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.news9.com/story/32743603/medicaid-estimate-renews-cost-concerns-over-obamacare

A Popular Conservative Alternative to Obamacare - by Jeffrey H. Anderson

Obamacare is unacceptable to the American public—and with a popular conservative alternative in play, it will be repealed....

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/JfuU301dmLf

"There's no subsidy for those making more than $47,520 for an individual and $97,200 for a family of four - cutoffs that represent four times the federal poverty level. Also, subsidies are not available for consumers at any income level who purchase outside of HealthCare.gov or a state marketplace. Those who remain uninsured risk fines."

Health Insurance Companies Set to Raise Obamacare Premiums

Millions of people who pay the full cost of their health insurance will feel the sting of rising premiums next year.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/wLuT301dnck

The right way to repeal and replace Obamacare

More than six years after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans are still trying to craft a workable plan to repeal and replace it....

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/puZa301dlw4

"This Statistic Suggests Obamacare Is Failing" from the financial site Motley Fool

This Statistic Suggests Obamacare Is Failing -- You Be the Judge -- The...

Another one of Obamacare's healthcare cooperatives bit the dust. Is this an ominous sign of a downward spiral in the health law of the land?

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/Ufxw301dlf2

All around the country, Obamacare is failing to hold down costs.

Why Obamacare rates are skyrocketing in Tennessee

Strip away the politics surrounding Obamacare in Tennessee and what's left, in the wake of a new round of insurer rate requests on the exchange, is...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/zIC8301dmQc

Declining Charity Care Levels Raise Questions About 340B Hospital Eligibility - Morning Consult

The 340B program was created for an important purpose: to help uninsured, needy patients access the medicines they need. However, a new analysis paints a very different picture of how the program is currently operating. While 340B hospitals are tasked with serving vulnerable patients, data show 64...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://morningconsult.com/opinions/declining-charity-care-levels-raise-questions-340b-hospital-eligibility/

Another helpful explanation from the Foundation for Economic Education

How Obamacare is Destroying Healthcare Access | Daniel J. Mitchell

The

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://fee.org/articles/obamacare-strikes-out-on-affordability-savings-coverage/

A sad story of what happens when a majority of people put all their faith in a politician. His promises were the biggest, grandest, most optimistic, just like the socialist and communist politicians-turned-dictators who came before, and the results are, once again, misery.

Venezuela's Slow Motion Apocalypse | Mark J. Perry

Venezuela's economy is no longer

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://fee.org/articles/venezuelas-slow-motion-apocalypse/

The latest video & blog by Dr. Keith Smith on why health care costs are out of control and what happens when innovators undercut the current regime of price gouging.

The facts speak for themselves | Surgery Center of Oklahoma

"There's not a lot more physicians over this period of time. The rate of rise of healthcare costs, the slope of that rate of rise, is almost...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/nPCa301dkx6

More dangerous gimmicks in Obamacare, not just for taxpayers but for all those who rely on these promises from politicians for their wellbeing.

How Obamacare Hides $104 Billion in Federal Spending

Obamacare has invented a dangerous new way to hide federal spending, including more than $100 billion designed to look like tax cuts. In defiance...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://ow.ly/ynbE301dlAw

From last month, but another reminder that there are lots of ways to bring down costs while improving health care if we just get politicians out of the way.

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Industry insiders have told me the only thing more remarkable than our transparent prices is that they're bundled. Here's how we do it:

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/this-is-how-bundled-prices-are-set/

Video - Doctors who get economics are a danger to the status quo and a breath of fresh air to patients!

Doctors who get economics are a danger to the status quo and a breath of fresh air to patients!

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/111618465540913/videos/1019796981389719/

Free Market Medical Association

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/03/20/to-bring-healthcare-prices-down-consumers-must-demand-price-transparency/#3854cca72e1d

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/03/20/to-bring-healthcare-prices-down-consumers-must-demand-price-transparency/#3854cca72e1d

"What currently passes for health insurance in America is really just prepaid health care — on a kind of all-you-can-consume buffet card. The system is a series of cost-shifting schemes stitched together by various special interests. There is no price transparency. The resulting overconsumption makes premiums skyrocket, and health resources get misallocated relative to genuine wants and needs."

Health Insurance Is Illegal | Warren C. Gibson

If you tried to offer a real health insurance policy, they might throw you in jail.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://fee.org/articles/health-insurance-is-illegal/

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

A closer look at the Unaffordable Care Act exposes either the weakness or incompetence of our government.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/our-government-is-either-weak-or-incompetent/

Video - An optimistic view of what our health care future can be, from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

An optimistic view of what our health care future can be, from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4GCQ3bGzcI

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

The Oklahoman Editorial Board: "... lawmakers should start thinking about how to address Medicaid's continuing problems and growing expense. Recommendations made by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs are a good place to start."

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://newsok.com/oklahoma-lawmakers-need-to-revisit-medicaid-policies/article/5502532

There are options like this already in Oklahoma--share with your millennial FB friends!

Benjamin Rush Institute

Lots for millennials to love about direct primary care.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.johnlocke.org/research/show/spotlights/373

Video - How important is insurance? Maybe it's time to think outside the box designed for us by generations of politicians and special interests.

How important is insurance? Maybe it's time to think outside the box designed for us by generations of politicians and special interests.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpUOghuSOqc

We can't have a real debate if we don't agree on what the words mean. The definition of "insurance" in health care today is Orwellian at best.

Health Insurance Is Illegal | Warren C. Gibson

If you tried to offer a real health insurance policy, they might throw you in jail.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://fee.org/articles/health-insurance-is-illegal/

Health care economics explained....

Benjamin Rush Institute

BRI med student leader, Joshua de Gastyne, interviews Ben Ippolito, AEI health economics scholar who spoke at the recent BRI student leadership conference, on The Ultimate Doctor podcast. Topics discussed include hospital pricing, why we have employer-based insurance, and the Drinker's Bonus.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://podfanatic.com/podcast/the-ultimate-doctor/episode/07-part-2-of-3-ben-ippolito-phd-economics-scholar-at-american-enterprise-institute-aei

Galen Institute

The Obama Administration is unlawfully diverting billions of dollars from taxpayers to insurance companies that sell Obamacare policies. http://onforb.es/25jJG18

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://onforb.es/25jJG18

Cash-only doctors abandon the insurance system

Doctors get fed up with insurance red tape and switch to cash only. But is it good for consumers?

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/11/news/economy/cash-only-doctors/index.html

This is a great group focused on medical students and others in the medical professions who want to uphold what is best in those professions rather than becoming the servants of politicians. Well worth liking this page and sharing it with the doctors, nurses, med. techs., and students in those fields.

Benjamin Rush Institute

Physicians still don't understand the bait and switch that occurred when Congress "saved" them from the economically unsound SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate) and voted in the ball and chain of MACRA.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.wsj.com/articles/macra-the-quiet-health-care-takeover-1464734029

Thanks to everyone who has liked this page during the Oklahoma legislative session. Thanks to a lot of people on this page contacting your senators and representatives, enough of them stood by their campaign promises and refused to accept any budget deal that included any version of Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. And you know what? We were proven right! No nursing homes are going to close and Oklahoma will still have a higher-than-average Medicaid reimbursement rate. OHCA's claims were half-bak

Thanks to everyone who has liked this page during the Oklahoma legislative session. Thanks to a lot of people on this page contacting your senators and representatives, enough of them stood by their campaign promises and refused to accept any budget deal that included any version of Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. And you know what? We were proven right! No nursing homes are going to close and Oklahoma will still have a higher-than-average Medicaid reimbursement rate. OHCA's claims were half-baked at best; sadly they terrified a lot of vulnerable people. We'll keep this page going with an eye toward the next 2017 legislative session. Eternal vigilance.... In the meantime, we'll post positive stories about ways to make health care better without relying on the politicians. If you see a story we should share here, please send it to us by message or post it as a visitor post. Thanks again!

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/1620989761559441/posts/1642148096110274

Americans for Prosperity - Oklahoma

State officials reached a budget agreement today to fill the $1.3 billion budget hole, without expanding Medicaid under Obamacare and without hiking tax rates - a win for taxpayers.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://americansforprosperity.org/afp-oklahoma-reacts-state-budget-announcement/

Did you know about the lawsuit going on right now, where insurance companies are trying to reinstate one of their ObamaCare payoffs? The deal was blocked by the Republican Congress. Read "ObamaCare: A Crony Capitalist's Best Friend" below.

ObamaCare: A Crony Capitalist's Best Friend

Marco Rubio, U.S. senator from Florida, writes that Congress blocked ObamaCare's bailout of insurers—who are now suing to reinstate the sweetheart deal.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.wsj.com/articles/obamacare-a-crony-capitalists-best-friend-1464131641

REALITY CHECK: From the state budget agreement just released, here are some numbers. Percentages compare to the current (fiscal 2016 revised) budget. Oklahoma Health Care Authority - 9.24%!i(MISSING)ncrease Dept. of Mental Health & Substance Abuse - 2.18%!i(MISSING)ncrease Dept. of Human Services - 2.57%!i(MISSING)ncrease Dept. of Education - 0.62%!i(MISSING)ncrease Yes, there are plenty of cuts, including to obvious lower priorities like the State Arts Council, OETA, and the Dept. of Tourism.

2017 Fiscal Year Budget Agreement

OKLAHOMA CITY - Governor Mary Fallin, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and House Speaker Jeffrey W. Hickman today reached a 2017 fiscal year budget agreement that maintains common education funding at current levels, averts closures of hospitals and nursing homes and closes $969.3 million…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=223&article_id=21907

This is about giving a raise to teachers, but it highlights all the waste in state spending that can also be shifted to other high priorities like health care for those who are truly in need.

Updated plan for Oklahoma teacher pay raise with no tax increases

We released a new, updated plan featuring $753 million in options for providing the $245 million necessary to give every Oklahoma public school classroom teacher a $5,000 pay raise.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpaimpact.com/ocpa-impact-offers-updated-plan-for-oklahoma-teacher-pay-raise-with-no-tax-increases

There was NEVER going to be a 25%!c(MISSING)ut. That was made up by OHCA bureaucrats to scare people. From the Oklahoman: "State Rep. Earl Sears said budget writers should be able to protect public education and health care services. 'We want to keep funding for core government services as flat as possible,' he said. ... "The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has warned of Medicaid provider cuts of as much as 25 percent, but House Speaker Jeff Hickman said such talk was premature and such reductio

Oklahoma House leaders say much of budget hole filled

MAY 20, 2016 - Oklahoma House leaders say most of the $1.3 billion hole in the new fiscal year budget will be closed without the need for any tax increases. Rep. Earl Sears said the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 still will lack about $200 million in revenue that was available this year...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://newsok.com/oklahoma-house-leaders-say-much-of-budget-hole-is-plugged-without-tax-increase/article/5499305

"[E]xpansion would make as many as 628,000 able-bodied adults newly eligible for Medicaid. And ... experiences of other expansion states suggests enrollment – and ultimately costs – will soar far higher."

Oklahoma Obamacare Medicaid Plan Puts Needy At Risk

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) has proposed a plan to "rebalance" Medicaid eligibility. Although the "plan" so far consists of only a single page of bullet points, what little that is already known makes clear that the plan would gut the existing capped Insure Oklahoma program and replace...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2016/05/23/its-not-ok-oklahoma-obamacare-medicaid-plan-puts-needy-at-risk/#779b8e5d3916

"Financial help for providers should be targeted to those in communities that truly need it.... The state, through its Medicaid authority, could [focus help on rural hospitals]. Meanwhile, large hospitals would have to settle for less artwork, lower cash balances, and fewer new additions."

Medicaid Expansion: Bad Policy by Any Name

"Medicaid Expansion: Bad Policy by Any Name" by Byron Schlomach critiques a plan put forth by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority that effectively expands Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.1889institute.org/health-care.html

Here is a list of recommendations to protect Oklahoma’s health care without expanding Medicaid. Lots of good ideas here. Some of these seem really obvious.

Statement on Cigarette Tax and Medicaid Expansion

There are clearly better options available for stabilizing Medicaid provider rates, as well as providing a $5,000 across-the-board salary increase for Oklahoma classroom teachers, without raising taxes on Oklahoma families. At a time when...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/medicaid-statement

“We should be disgusted by the Republicans who, on one side of their mouth, vent outrage over the federal bathroom tyranny and, on the other side, demand that we pocket the federal health care bribes that will result in destructive mandates these pseudo-leaders will be sure to someday bemoan.”

Right Thinking: Federal cash buys state compliance

Many people don't know that the Constitution prohibits the federal government from forcing states to implement federal policy. But it does allow Washington to purchase state compliance.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://journalrecord.com/2016/05/18/right-thinking-federal-cash-buys-state-compliance-opinion/#ixzz497ty8nRO

Is it just weird anymore to think politicians should keep their word? What do you think Governor Mary Fallin?

Uhhhhhh….. | The McCarville Report



from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://mccarvillereport.com/archives/39162

So do Oklahoma politicians really want more? These are the kind of strings attached to accepting more federal funds--on top of adding to the national debt.

Obama tells hospitals: Do abortions and 'sex changes' or you'll lose federal funding

The new HHS rule 'concocts out of thin air a redefinition of sex discrimination,' say critics.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/obama-tells-hospitals-do-abortions-and-sex-changes-or-youll-lose-federal-fu

"Despite astronomical overall spending, Medicaid pays the doctors and hospitals actually providing the care only 60 cents for each dollar of healthcare costs they incur. As a result, the poor on Medicaid face grave difficulties in obtaining timely and essential health care, suffering worse health outcomes as a result. Contrary to rhetoric from supporters, Medicaid is far from compassionate."

Medicaid Reform Offers More Compassionate Options for the Poor | Heartlander Magazine

Financing for Medicaid, the national entitlement program providing health care for the poor, is shared with the states under a specific formula, with the federal government paying about 60 percent of the total costs. Under President Barack Obama, provided with a rocket boost from Obamacare, spending...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2014/10/17/medicaid-reform-offers-more-compassionate-options-poor?quicktabs_4=1

"Waivers are viewed as a means for states to obtain more federal funds by expanding Medicaid, yet still maintain flexibility over operating their Medicaid programs. Because Medicaid waivers are temporary, they are subject to the discretion of federal officials and vulnerable to potential judicial reversal. They are thus unlikely to permit much of the flexibility state policymakers seek. By contrast, Medicaid expansion likely will be difficult to reverse."

Obamacare Waivers Are Temporary, Medicaid Expansion Is Forever

In this document produced by both the Machinac Center, and the Buckeye Institute, the authors argue that state lawmakers in Michigan, Ohio and numerous other states continue to debate whether to opt–in to an expansion of Medicaid permitted by the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as "Obamacare."…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.heartland.org/policy-documents/medicaid-waivers-are-temporary-expansion-forever

"Although OHCA frequently promised ... high federal matching rates, the federal share of Medicaid costs has declined by more than 10 percentage points over the last 20 years. Every percentage point drop in federal support means another $50 million in extra costs to state taxpayers."

Oklahoma Should Continue to Reject Obamacare, Pursue Reforms

If policymakers wish to increase reimbursement rates or shift higher-income enrollees out of Medicaid, they can do so without expanding Obamacare. In fact, expanding Medicaid under Obamacare will make any other Medicaid reforms even harder.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/medicaid#sthash.tImaSqZ0.dpuf

Good info and advice from Rep. Mark Lepak of Claremore: "[T]he Medicaid Rebalancing Plan is not required to fund existing Medicaid programs such that provider rate cuts are avoided. The same is true of the proposed cigarette tax. The House budget plan prioritizes and funds Medicaid such that provider reimbursement rate cuts are not required. "I’ve confirmed that point on five different occasions within various budget meetings. The rebalancing plan and cigarette taxes are easily confused with t

House Review: Medicaid: A Balancing Act — Part 2

Greetings from the state capitol! The "Medicaid Rebalancing" plan proposes to move 175,000 people from Soonercare (Oklahoma's Medicaid plan) onto Insure Oklahoma, or the federal exchange, and to open up

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.claremoreprogress.com/opinion/house-review-medicaid-a-balancing-act-part/article_7265f126-1c3e-11e6-80af-ffe960798b43.html

Sooner Politics

Primary elections are set for just 5 weeks from now. Republicans will be watching their elected officials and several groups will be publishing the results of this session. Some lawmakers may have a difficult time explaining some net tax increases.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.soonerpolitics.org/5/post/2016/05/will-there-be-one-republican-legislator-faithful-to-his-tax-pledge-after-this-session.html

This author points out that OHCA is purposely scaring elderly and disabled people as a political tactic to get their way. It would take at most $10 million to make sure Oklahoma nursing homes stay open--pocket change to the state legislature (half the cost of OU's Italian villa...). Nursing homes are not going to close. OHCA is using fear as a political weapon.

Free Market Friday: Out of balance

Internal OHCA data reveals that a mere $10 million – at most – is needed to maintain provider rates for nursing homes to be sure vulnerable elderly Oklahomans are not displaced. So the OHCA and proponents are merely using the elderly....

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/post/free-market-friday-out-of-balance

Here is another great post by the Surgery Center of Oklahoma talking about what state lawmakers should (and should not) do to encourage price transparency ... which means competition, which means lower costs ... in health care. Oklahoma needs to learn from what works, not just blindly beg for federal dollars, adding to our national debt and limits our power to innovate.

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Mandating price transparency will afford legislators the opportunity to sell exemptions and will lead to a new definition of transparency - one which fits the needs of the corporate healthcare crowd.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/should-we-mandate-price-transparency/

It's really important to know that House Bill 3210, which is being talked about as if it is just a simple tax hike on cigarettes, includes language for the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. HB 3210 is a Trojan Horse.

It's really important to know that House Bill 3210, which is being talked about as if it is just a simple tax hike on cigarettes, includes language for the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. HB 3210 is a Trojan Horse.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/1620989761559441/posts/1632248200433597

While other states are trying to be more competitive and to grow their economies...

Oklahoma Looks To Become Next State To Enact Obamacare Medicaid Expansion

By seeking to raise taxes and expand Medicaid, Gov. Mary Fallin (R) and Oklahoma lawmakers are pushing to make their state an outlier in a region full of states reducing their tax burdens, rejecting Obamacare, and exercising spending restraint. Gov. Mary Fallin began the 2016 legislative session by…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickgleason/2016/05/16/oklahoma-medicaid-expansion/#511735fb5fdd

OCPA Impact, Inc.

Instead of reining in state spending, lawmakers at the OK Capitol are looking at numerous tax increases to fill the $1.3B budget hole. Click the link to send a message to YOUR OK state legislators & Gov. Fallin, asking them to oppose all tax increases! http://www.ocpaimpact.com/action-alert?id=ODc=

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/OCPAImpact/posts/796379020463845

Yes, there are plenty of ways to save money in health care and drive up quality at the same time. And Oklahoma has one of the very best examples of how to do this.

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Industry insiders have told me the only thing more remarkable than our transparent prices is that they're bundled. Here's how we do it:

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/this-is-how-bundled-prices-are-set/

Tomorrow--we need you! If you can't be there, please call and email both your state House and Senate members today and share your thoughts with them. Thank you!

Tomorrow--we need you! If you can't be there, please call and email both your state House and Senate members today and share your thoughts with them. Thank you!

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/events/857545181018252/

"The 175,000 targeted by OHCA are able-bodied adults. The proposal would increase from 27 percent to 33 percent the number of Oklahomans dependent on health care entitlements in addition to Medicare.... "Oklahoma rejected the Obamacare exchange grant, saving the state hundreds of millions of dollars in state-based exchange cost overruns being experienced by other states. Now we're being urged to accept funds from the federal government along with their requirements to run a health care program,

Coburn, Parman: Medicaid 'rebalancing' plan is Obamacare by another name

MAY 15, 2016 - The Oklahoma Health Care Authority's Medicaid "rebalancing" plan is being considered by lawmakers. The plan is simply Obamacare Medicaid expansion rebranded. As conservatives concerned about fiscal responsibility, we urge lawmakers to reject it. The rebalancing scheme is a policy that...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://newsok.com/article/5497984

"The Medicaid Rebalancing Act faces several hurdles, including federal approval for the expansion and a three-fourths vote for the tobacco tax increase, but it is important to recognize the real problems expansion create. Medicaid expansion should be opposed whenever it is considered—and under any form."

Matthew Glans: Oklahoma Medicaid 'rebalancing' is simply Medicaid expansion

Medicaid expansion is an expensive endeavor that many critics believe does not provide better or more affordable health care. Many of the expansion plans that states are now considering use federal dollars to expand their Medicaid programs to a larger portion of their state, creating new costs the f...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/othervoices/matthew-glans-oklahoma-medicaid-rebalancing-is-simply-medicaid-expansion/article_6f5008a9-a713-5211-88ee-5d15dc099feb.html

Good for KFOR-TV to acknowledge that "Medicaid Rebalancing" is an expansion of Obamacare: "Despite bitter resistance in Oklahoma for years to President Barack Obama’s health overhaul, many Republican leaders are now embracing a plan to expand Medicaid...." And, of course, bad for those "Republicans" with no principles.

In surprising turnabout, Oklahoma eyes Medicaid expansion

OKLAHOMA CITY – Despite bitter resistance in Oklahoma for years to President Barack Obama's health overhaul, many Republican leaders are now embracing a plan to expand Medicaid as they …

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://kfor.com/2016/05/16/in-surprising-turnabout-oklahoma-eyes-medicaid-expansion/

From Governor Mary Fallin's State of the State Address in 2014: "Expanding Medicaid, as President Obama has proposed, does not solve this problem. In fact, it makes it worse. The cost of Medicaid growth and expansion is astronomical.... We cannot plunge this nation further into debt, or place Oklahoma on a fiscally unsound path, by expanding Medicaid. Both the president’s plan and alternative proposals that rely on federal dollars in the Affordable Care Act amount to the same thing: a dramatic

www.ok.gov



from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.ok.gov/governor/documents/2-3-14%20State%!o(MISSING)f%!t(MISSING)he%!S(MISSING)tate%!p(MISSING)ress%!c(MISSING)opy%!f(MISSING)inal.pdf

Oh no, it's a crisis! Wait, actually it's the predicted result of the status quo and of Oklahoma policymakers dramatically expanding Medicaid enrollment even as voters rejected Obamacare's Medicaid expansion.

Years of Warnings Unheeded on Medicaid

The unsustainable path of Medicaid is no surprise. Whatever policymakers do, they should not adopt a plan like the "Rebalancing Act" that is simply more of the same, with higher costs and greater reliance on promises of federal funds.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/post/years-of-warnings-unheeded-on-medicaid

Photo

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/SOJ51News/photos/a.1587219718269573.1073741828.1564912917166920/1628833977441480/?type=3

Video - Governor Mary Fallin explains how proud she is that Oklahoma has stood up against Obamacare. Here's hoping she'll continue to stand up against it in all its forms!

Governor Mary Fallin explains how proud she is that Oklahoma has stood up against Obamacare. Here's hoping she'll continue to stand up against it in all its forms!

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://video.foxnews.com/v/2790397498001/reaction-to-obamas-jabs-at-gop-governors/#sp=show-clips

Increasing dependency on government is disastrous for all concerned and, ultimately, unsustainable. In the most "generous" states (it's never really generous to take stuff from people, even if you give it to someone else you think needs it more), there are still interest groups and ideological groups that demand more spending and higher taxes. Even in the Northern European countries, some people say government isn't big enough.

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Listen to Mary Mayehw, Maine's Commissioner of Health and Human Services, explain why Medicaid expansion was bad for Maine.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/post/perils-of-medicaid-expansion-explained-by-state-official

7 Questions for legislators about "Rebalancing"

7 Questions about 'Medicaid Rebalancing'

Oklahoma pays the seventh highest Medicaid reimbursement rates of any state for primary care and the tenth highest overall. Medical companies want to protect their revenue. Legislators, on the other hand, should not blindly accept self-interested...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/post/7-questions-about-medicaid-rebalancing

Our dental reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients are pretty good, too. Better than Kansas and Colorado and way better than Oregon or California. (Some of this is because of our lower cost of living--these are percentages based on average private-sector costs. One more reason to be glad to live in Oklahoma!) See page 7.

American Dental Association Report: State-by-State Analysis of Medicaid Fee-for-Service



from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.aapd.org/assets/1/7/PolicyCenter-TenYearAnalysisOct2014.pdf

How much do Oklahoma taxpayers pay doctors for Medicaid patients? Hint: We pay more than Texas, more than California, more than the national average. Table A2 in the report linked below has the data. It's wonky, but, hey, isn't this the sort of think our legislators ought to know, or at least figure out, before they fall for a bunch of special interest whining?

Reversing the Medicaid Fee Bump: How Much Could Medicaid Physician Fees for Primary Care Fall in...

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid fees for primary care services were increased to Medicare levels from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014. This paper uses data from the Urban Institute

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.urban.org/research/publication/reversing-medicaid-fee-bump-how-much-could-medicaid-physician-fees-primary-care-fall-2015

And meanwhile, in Louisiana, even the hospital companies demanding more taxpayer dollars and more dependency are pointing out that the politicians' cost predictions are, well, optimistic.

Hospitals question Gov. John Bel Edwards' Medicaid expansion savings projections

University Medical Center and Lafayette General say the savings aren't conservative enough. Edwards administration officials disagree, but If they're wrong, the hospitals could face another round of mid-year budget cuts.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/04/hospitals_savings_medicaid_edw.html

Actual costs? Double what the politicians promised: "The governor predicted that adding working-age adults with no kids and no disabilities to the Medicaid rolls under the 2010 federal health law would cost $14 billion from 2014-20. Actual spending puts Kasich’s Obamacare expansion on track to cost $28.5 billion by 2020." http://watchdog.org/262659/ohio-medicaid-expansion-costs-top-7-5-billion/

Ohio Medicaid expansion costs top $7.5 billion - Watchdog.org

Ohio Medicaid expansion costs sailed farther past Gov. John Kasich's projections in March, as total spending on the program crested the $7.5 billion mark.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://watchdog.org/262659/ohio-medicaid-expansion-costs-top-7-5-billion/

Photo - It's even worse than this, since Oklahoma legislators would have to pass the bill to see what both OHCA and the Obama Administration do with it. The legislature, if they pass "Rebalancing," would be handing our state's power to the Obama Administration in exchange for promises of "free" federal money. Sick and cynical.

It's even worse than this, since Oklahoma legislators would have to pass the bill to see what both OHCA and the Obama Administration do with it. The legislature, if they pass "Rebalancing," would be handing our state's power to the Obama Administration in exchange for promises of "free" federal money. Sick and cynical.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/ocpathink/photos/a.383213724445.162256.65364914445/10154251148219446/?type=3

No, Obamacare has not reduced emergency room visits. And anyone paying attention six years ago knew it was unlikely to do so after the results of the study of Oregon's earlier Medicaid expansion showed no meaningful decline in emergency room use (or improvement in most health outcomes--"coverage" isn't care). Will Oklahoma politicians pay attention to these facts and to the voters, or will they side with a few big medical companies and Obama who are pushing "Medicaid Rebalancing" as the latest w

Obamacare hasn't reduced emergency room visits

When President Barack Obama was selling his signature health care overhaul before it was adopted in 2010, he said, "If everybody's got coverage, then they're not going to the emergency room for treatment."

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.decaturdaily.com/news/obamacare-hasn-t-reduced-emergency-room-visits/article_95d9deee-a07b-5be8-a856-78438391bcd7.html

Did you know, Scott Walker expanded Wisconsin's Badger Care program without accepting Obamacare money? By doing that, he maintained the state's ability to be flexible with the program and refused to add to the federal debt.

Scott Walker refused federal dollars in exchange for maintaining state control over health policies

With its new two-year budget in place, Wisconsin now has passed up more than $550 million in federal money available under the Affordable Care Act.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/tns-wisconsin-obamacare-scott-walker.html

Another way to tell lawmakers to stand strong against the latest version of Obamacare in Oklahoma--click on the link below and please share!

Oklahoma Considering Obamacare Medicaid Expansion

Your lawmakers at the Oklahoma Capitol are hearing from vested interests to adopt Medicaid expansion. Tell them to instead focus on right-sizing state government and increasing teacher salaries without increasing taxes. They need to hear from YOU.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpaimpact.com/action-alert?id=ODY%!D(MISSING)

Here is a great article from New Hampshire busting some of the myths of Obamacare Medicaid expansion. "New Hampshire’s latest Medicaid expansion law increases the state’s dependence on Washington, D.C., spends money the country doesn’t have and which never belonged to New Hampshire, and does not truly require able-bodied recipients to work."

Another View -- Michael Hamilton: Myth-busting New Hampshire's Medicaid expansion | New Hampshire

New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan signed into law on April 5 House Bill 1696 to modify and renew through 2018 the state's Medicaid expansion program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which state lawmakers first adopted in 2014.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.unionleader.com/Another-View-Michael-Hamilton-Myth-busting-New-Hampshires-Medicaid-expansion#sthash.bSVGPKow.dpuf

This is from a source that generally supports bigger government and more dependency--and even they admit that Medicaid expansion is driving up state and federal spending at unprecedented rates!

Medicaid Spending Soars — Mostly In Expansion States

New report finds the annual increase in Medicaid spending is the largest in at least two decades, spurred by the federal health law expansion.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://khn.org/news/medicaid-spending-soars-mostly-in-expansion-states/

More explanation of why the Obamacare expansion being advocated by a few Oklahoma Republicans is a bad deal for the poor and a bad deal for taxpayers. Read the numbers--every Oklahoman should be against this fraudulent "rebalancing" scheme.

Think tank officials: 'Rebalancing' proposal is wrong plan for Oklahoma

MAY 8, 2016 - The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has proposed to "rebalance" our state Medicaid system, supposedly to better serve the poor. Unfortunately, a closer look at the plan reveals that it's just another attempt to backdoor an unaffordable Medicaid expansion. OHCA has provided few specifics...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://m.newsok.com/think-tank-officials-rebalancing-proposal-is-wrong-plan-for-oklahoma/article/5496476

Photo - The math just doesn't add up....

The math just doesn't add up....

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/ocpathink/photos/a.383213724445.162256.65364914445/10154237487259446/?type=3

Very important: Tell your legislators to say "No way" to Obamacare expansion on Oklahoma!

Americans for Prosperity - Oklahoma

OK has said we don't want Medicaid Expansion - now they're trying to trick us by calling it a Rebalancing" Plan

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://action.americansforprosperity.org/rUfCzLb

More big premium increases on the way thanks to Obamacare. Tell Oklahoma politicians not to expand Obamacare in Oklahoma (even if it's cleverly titled "rebalancing")!

Health Insurers Struggle to Offset New Costs

Insurers have begun to propose big premium increases for coverage next year under the 2010 health law, as some struggle to make money in a market where their costs have soared.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.wsj.com/articles/health-insurers-struggle-to-offset-new-costs-1462404298

"The OHCA proposal ['Rebalancing'] is simply a backdoor way to expand Obamacare in Oklahoma, with potential future costs that would keep us in a continuous budget crisis. If your bucket has a hole in it, you don’t poke more holes and just pour more water into it to keep up. You first patch the hole. That is the approach we should take to Medicaid." Another good article in the Enid paper.

Medicaid 'rebalancing' the wrong prescription

The lengthy debate on how Oklahoma should deal with Medicaid has taken a new turn with a proposal to "rebalance" Medicaid by expanding it dramatically, and raising your taxes to

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/medicaid-rebalancing-the-wrong-prescription/article_1f13de46-971b-5170-8acc-679f77bab71b.html

"Making a struggling program bigger isn't the same as making it stronger, and expansion could actually amplify state government's financial challenges." Good editorial, worth reading in full at the link below. It's one more reason to say "No way" to the so-called "Medicaid Rebalancing Act" being pushed at the state capitol.

Expansion of Medicaid not a budget cure-all for Oklahoma

APR 4, 2016 - THE news that Oklahoma's Medicaid program may cut provider rates by 25 percent due to the state budget shortfall will undoubtedly lead some critics to insist this would not be happening had Oklahoma expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Yet while the state would have receive...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://newsok.com/article/5489020

Photo - Here is a great graphic that shows how Medicaid is already eating up a huge share of the Oklahoma budget. The last thing we need is to voluntarily expand Obamacare in our state (which is what the so-called "Medicaid Rebalancing Act" is).

Here is a great graphic that shows how Medicaid is already eating up a huge share of the Oklahoma budget. The last thing we need is to voluntarily expand Obamacare in our state (which is what the so-called "Medicaid Rebalancing Act" is).

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/ocpathink/photos/a.383213724445.162256.65364914445/10154234895064446/?type=3

Schools, roads, everything gets squeezed when states adopt the Obamacare Medicaid expansion (the current Oklahoma proposal is being called "Rebalancing"). Even high-tax states like California are facing budget strain thanks to Obamacare, and the federal government is simply running up the debt.

Growth in State Medicaid Spending Crowding Out Spending on Other Major State Programs | Mercatus

According to recent research, expanding state Medicaid spending is "crowding out" spending on other major state programs, most notably education and transportation infrastructure. This growth in state Medicaid spending, however, does not seem to be increasing state debt burdens.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://mercatus.org/publication/growth-state-medicaid-spending-crowding-out-spending-other-major-state-programs?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=research&utm_campaign=SLPP

Photo

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/stopObamacareMedicaidExpansion/photos/a.1623930947931989.1073741828.1620989761559441/1623930964598654/?type=3

Hospitals hurting? Not so fast....

Not-for-profits dominate top-10 list of hospitals with highest margins

Seven of the 10 hospitals in the U.S. with the highest margins from patient care services in 2013 were not-for-profits, according to a new study in Health Affairs based on Medicare cost reports.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160502/NEWS/160509991?utm_source=modernhealthcare&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20160502-NEWS-160509991&utm_campaign=dose

The Obamacare Medicaid shuffle (pushing states to expand the program in exchange for state politicians accepting federal dollars, adding to the federal debt and tricking some citizens into believing in "free" money) has come back to Oklahoma. It's called "Medicaid Rebalancing," but it's the same old game of bigger government, more debt, and more dependence.

Medicaid Not Big Enough? Administration Proposes $100 Billion More Spending | Mercatus

Despite substantial and growing federal deficits, largely driven by unsustainable healthcare commitments, the Obama Administration is proposing more than $100 billion in new Medicaid spending over the next decade. No major area of federal spending has increased more dramatically since President Bara…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://mercatus.org/expert_commentary/medicaid-not-big-enough-administration-proposes-100-billion-more-spending

Beating up on Obamacare sure was popular on the campaign trail--most Oklahomans oppose Obamacare as a massive federal power grab. And they're right. But politicians should stick to their campaign promises and continue to oppose Obamacare's Medicaid expansion in all its forms once in office.

Candidate fundraising email

Dear Friends,This Sunday, President Obama's political machine is coming to Oklahoma to support expanding Obamacare in our state. MoveOn.org, a group funded by liberal billionaire George Soros that took out a full page ad in the New York Times…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://maryfallin.org/email/email-new-site-responsive.php?ID=323

The long-term trends in Medicaid costs? Not good. And worse if Oklahoma expands Medicaid.

Long-Term Trends in Medicaid Spending by the States | Mercatus

Since 2011, state spending on Medicaid has grown rapidly as enrollment increases and healthcare costs escalate. Growing enrollment, even prior to enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), has precipitated increasing program costs, while the end of temporary increases in fede…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://mercatus.org/publication/long-term-trends-medicaid-spending-states

“We cannot plunge this nation further into debt, or place Oklahoma on a fiscally unsound path, by expanding Medicaid. Both the president’s plan and alternative proposals that rely on federal dollars in the Affordable Care Act amount to the same thing: a dramatic growth in unsustainable government spending." -Gov. Mary Fallin, 2014 State of the State Address http://maryfallin.org/article/governor-mary-fallin-delivers-2014-state-of-the-state-address

Mary Fallin for Governor

Governor Mary Fallin Delivers 2014 State of the State Address on February 3, 2014, reiterating her opposition to any plan to expand Medicaid under Obamacare

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://maryfallin.org/article/governor-mary-fallin-delivers-2014-state-of-the-state-address

Why is the Obamacare exchange failing and what does it mean for Oklahoma families? This is a podcast of a conversation about Obamacare and the Medicaid proposal being considered right now in Oklahoma.

MiddleGround Radio: A conversation about Medicaid with Michael Cannon

Trent talks Medicaid with Michael Cannon, the Cato Institute's director of health policy studies.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma https://soundcloud.com/the-middleground/middleground-radio-a-conversation-about-medicaid-with-michael-canon

"While shortsighted thinkers might be intrigued, expanding Medicaid will only exacerbate short- and long-term financial hardships." Another great article by Americans for Prosperity - Oklahoma!

Point of View: The false choices of big government

APR 28, 2016 - It is no secret that state spending in America is dominated by education and health care. On average, states spend more than half their yearly budgets on these areas. Combined education spending averages 38 percent of state budgets. Medicaid and health programs average 16 percent. Okl…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://newsok.com/point-of-view-the-false-choices-of-big-government/article/5494546

"It appears that Oklahoma lawmakers will be asked to pass the plan so that they can find out what’s in it," according to a new analysis from The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs of the so-called "Medicaid Rebalancing Act."

Out of Balance: OHCA's latest plan is simply Obamacare Medicaid expansion by another name

Oklahoma policymakers should reject OHCA's latest proposal to expand Medicaid to a new class of able-bodied adults and instead refocus their efforts on improving the Medicaid program for the most vulnerable.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.ocpathink.org/medicaid

More about the crumbling health exchanges and Obamacare's failure to hold down health insurance premiums. And this is where the "Medicaid Rebalancing Act" would dump some of Oklahoma's poor children in order to make room for able-bodied adults in Medicaid.

Significant premium hikes expected under Obama health law

KOKH Fox 25 provides, news, sports, weather and local event coverage in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, including McLoud, Shawnee, Tecumseh, Seminole, Wewoka, Maud, Asher, Wanetted, Goldsby, Norman, Blanchard, Chickasha, Pauls Valley, Purcell, Andarko, Bridgeport, Lawton, Duncan, Okarche, Kingf…

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://okcfox.com/news/nation-world/significant-premium-hikes-expected-under-obama-health-law-04-28-2016?utm_content=buffercb745&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

There is no free lunch, someone always pays. Oklahomans should continue to oppose--and demand our politicians oppose--Obamacare's Medicaid expansion scheme. Right now, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority is pushing legislators to support the outline of a plan that would send us begging for federal money from the Obama Administration and subject us to even greater federal control. Tell the politicians: "No!"

Medicaid Expansion Could Cost Ohio Taxpayers $27.5 Billion By 2020

Anyone who has ever crunched the numbers for Medicaid expansion knows that the government health care program is a budget buster.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2016/04/04/dont-tell-john-kasich-but-his-medicaid-expansion-could-cost-taxpayers-275-billion-by-2020-n2143099

Should we take OHCA at their word on "Medicaid Rebalancing"? Here's what actually happened in states that expanded Medicaid: "California expected 800,000 new enrollees after the state’s 2013 Medicaid expansion, but wound up with 2.3 million. Enrollment outstripped estimates in New Mexico by 44%!,(MISSING) Oregon by 73%!,(MISSING) and Washington state by more than 100%! (MISSING)This has blown holes in state budgets." http://www.wsj.com/articles/medicaid-expansion-is-proving-to-be-a-bad-bargain-

Medicaid Expansion Is Proving to Be a Bad Bargain for States

In The Wall Street Journal, Evelyn Everton and Chris Hudson write that enrollment in the Affordable Care Act's expanded Medicaid program is much higher than anticipated, and is swamping state budgets.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.wsj.com/articles/medicaid-expansion-is-proving-to-be-a-bad-bargain-for-states-1446852197

Here is an explanation from a few years ago by Louisiana's then-Gov. Bobby Jindal about why the Obamacare Medicaid expansion is a bad deal for states.

Gov. Bobby Jindal: Why I opposed Medicaid expansion

One of the most contested issues in Louisiana's most recently completed regular legislative session was the debate over Medicaid expansion. The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling allowed states to decide for themselves whether to participate in this provision of the Affordable...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/07/gov_bobby_jindal_why_i_opposed.html

There are so many good, conservative reforms we need in health care. This is one the Oklahoma legislature can be proud of--and should look to expand. Not Medicaid or any other part of Obamacare--no "rebalancing"!

Surgery Center of Oklahoma

Big news! The State of Oklahoma entered into a new self-funded healthcare agreement that could save up to $200 million in the first year.

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://surgerycenterok.com/blog/the-state-of-oklahomas-exciting-new-healthcare-plan/

"What the lobbyists usually mean by pro-business is that the policy will benefit a particular business. But sound conservatives oppose policies that will boost the profits of specific industries at the expense of the good of the larger society."

"The Disguised Medicaid Expansion Act"

Sound conservatives oppose policies that will boost the profits of specific industries at the expense of the good of the larger society. That's exactly what will happen if our Legislature enacts the cleverly termed Medicaid Rebalancing Act...

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://journalrecord.com/2016/04/27/right-thinking-the-disguised-medicaid-expansion-act-opinion/#ixzz47F2iEKoI

Nice--we all should encourage all those who have opposed Obamacare's Medicaid expansion in the past to stay true.

OCPA Trustees Urge Fallin To Continue Rejection of ObamaCare, Medicaid Expansion

OCPA Open Letter To Governor Mary Fallin Concerning Expansion of Medicaid

from FB-RSS feed for Stop Obamacare Expansion in Oklahoma http://www.theokie.com/ocpa-trustees-urge-fallin-to-continue-rejection-of-obamacare-medicaid-expansion/

Americans for Prosperity - Oklahoma explains why the "rebalancing" plan is just one more version of Obamacare.

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While the government-controlled health care supporters always claim to want to help the poor, their policies actually put people at risk. Just because people are "covered" or get subsidies doesn't mean they necessarily have access to quality care. This article points out that the Obamacare health insurance exchange in Oklahoma is failing at the same time the "rebalancers" want to dump more people into it.

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Launching her reelection campaign, Gov. Mary Fallin warned accepting the Obamacare Medicaid expansion plan would "would have driven the state off a fiscal cliff." Asking for our votes, she bragged about her opposition to Obamacare and specifically about standing up against the Medicaid expansion.

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The proposed "Medicaid Rebalancing" plan for Oklahoma relies on the Obamacare exchange. Is that really a good idea?

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From a state that expanded Medicaid with disastrous results -- this official warns Oklahoma against the Medicaid "rebalancing" plan. Listen to her warning at the link below.

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