Bill > HB1772

This bill amends Oklahoma's Medicaid law regarding out-of-state medical providers by clarifying the definition of "treatment" and establishing guidelines for when out-of-state providers can be contracted. Specifically, the bill maintains the existing principle that the state Medicaid program should preferentially contract with in-state medical providers when possible, but now provides a nuanced definition of "treatment" that distinguishes between services requiring physical patient presence and direct care versus remote services like laboratory analysis or diagnostic processing. Under this amendment, services that can be performed remotely will not be subject to the in-state provider preference, which could potentially expand the pool of available medical service providers for Medicaid recipients. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is required to seek any necessary federal approvals to implement these changes, and the bill will become effective on November 1, 2025, giving state agencies ample time to prepare for and implement the new guidelines.

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1772&Session=2600