1. A. Sections 1010.1 through 1010.7 of this title shall be known and may be cited as the "Oklahoma Medicaid Program Reform Act of 2003".
2. B. Recognizing that many Oklahomans do not have health care benefits or health care coverage, that many small businesses cannot afford to provide health care benefits to their employees, and that, under federal law, barriers exist to providing Medicaid benefits to the uninsured, the Oklahoma Legislature hereby establishes provisions to lower the number of uninsured, assist businesses in their ability to afford health care benefits and coverage for their employees, and eliminate barriers to providing health coverage to eligible enrollees under federal law.
3. C. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall provide coverage under the state Medicaid program to children under the age of eighteen (18) years whose family incomes do not exceed one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal poverty level.

4. D.

   1. 1. The Authority is hereby directed to apply for a waiver or waivers to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) that will accomplish the purposes outlined in subsection B of this section. The Authority is further directed to negotiate with CMS to include in such waiver authority provisions to accomplish the following goals:

      1. a. increased access to health care for Oklahomans,
      2. b. reform of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program to promote personal responsibility with regard to health care services and appropriate utilization of health care benefits through the use of cost sharing,
      3. c. the purchase of health care coverage using "buy-in" arrangements for small employers and/or voucher arrangements for employer-sponsored insurance purchasing, and
      4. d. development of flexible health care benefit packages based upon patient need and cost.
   2. 2. The Authority may phase in any waiver or waivers it receives based upon available funding.

Laws 1993, SB 76, c. 336, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1993; Amended by Laws 1997, SB 639, c. 421, § 1 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, SB 495, c. 288, § 1, eff. September 1, 1999 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2000, HB 1923, c. 251, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 2000 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2003, SB 610, c. 464, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2003 (superseded document available).