To the editors:
Lauren Carter’s recent letter to the editors regarding Medicaid managed care unfortunately fails to discuss the most important fact: Oklahoma has some of the worst health outcomes in the country. Now that the citizens of Oklahoma have spoken on the issue of Medicaid expansion, it is the state’s responsibility to cover the approximately 200,000 additional Oklahomans who will become Medicaid beneficiaries.
ORIGINAL LETTER
Letter: Legislature should stop ‘disastrous’ privatized Medicaid managed care by Lauren Carter
Oklahomans for Better Medicaid believes that now is the time to take advantage of a tremendous opportunity to improve Oklahoma’s poor national health rankings and outcomes by implementing a new-age managed care model outlined in SoonerSelect — a model that will truly provide quality and value to Oklahomans needing them the most.
This is not the managed care model of the 1990s and early 2000s. It is a modern health care system, managed by health care professionals, that has been implemented and proven in dozens of other states. In fact, Oklahoma is one of only a few states not utilizing Medicaid managed care.
Each state has different needs, and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority is dedicated to its vision for “Oklahomans to be healthy and have access to quality health care services regardless of their ability to pay.”
We may not yet fully understand the health and economic impact of the events of 2020. Let’s take this opportunity to trust the leadership at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and, together, begin to embark on a long-term vision and plan to help Oklahomans lead their healthiest lives.
Karma Robinson
Oklahoma City
Oklahomans for Better Medicaid
(Editor’s note: NonDoc runs Letters to the Editors of between approximately 300 to 500 words. NonDoc reserves the right to edit lightly for length, style and grammar. We value a diverse set of voices respectfully discussing issues from different perspectives. To submit a letter for publication, please write to letters@nondoc.com.)
