In surprising turnabout, Oklahoma eyes Medicaid expansion

[Hairy Harry Potlover]

Source: Associated Press

By SEAN MURPHY
May. 16, 2016 1:27 AM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Despite bitter resistance in Oklahoma for years to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, Republican leaders in this conservative state are now confronting something that alarms them even more: a huge $1.3 billion hole in the budget that threatens to do widespread damage to the state's health care system.

So, in what would be the grandest about-face among rightward leaning states, Oklahoma is now moving toward a plan to expand its Medicaid program to bring in billions of federal dollars from President Obama's new health care system.

What's more, GOP leaders are considering a tax hike to cover the state's share of the costs.

"We're to the point where the provider rates are going to be cut so much that providers won't be able to survive, particularly the nursing homes," said Republican state Rep. Doug Cox, referring to possible cuts in state funds for indigent care that could cause some hospitals and nursing homes to close.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f6d87a1c487445fe80267d02032c6318/surprising-turnabout-oklahoma-eyes-medicaid-expansion

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I guess they've stopped taking advice from "Good Neighbor" Brownback.

[dchill]

1. Dear Oklahoma,

DUH!

[bemildred]

2. The light dawns. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

3. So they finally ran out of parts

to cut off to spite their faces?

[Thinkingabout]

4. Good for the residences of OK

[SmittynMo]

5. And the stupidity of the GOP shines on

It makes me sick that we put these sick bastards in power. In 2016/2018, we need to remove these useless assholes from power, once and for all.

[Alkene]

6. Money trumps ideology.

Sorry to use the "T" word.

[mountain grammy]

7. Thank goodness for the OK citizens who will

Finally have access to the health care they need.

[rocks911]

8. Rightward leaning?!

They leaned so far rightward they've fallen down.

[LiberalArkie]

9. They did vote for Bernie in the Primary

[jtuck004]

10. Funny place. Defined Progressivism before it was killed, tens of thousands of people

saved by FDR's plans during the Depression and the Dust Bowl. That left a state of Democrats, and most of those died (or are dying) as Democrats. Campaigning Republicans could expect to be shot at as late as the 60's, depending on where there were knocking doors.

That led to one of the largest human services department in the country, lots of educational programs, a huge expansion of universities, including the medical school, many large hospitals including the VA, Childrens, others. The place was attracting students from across the nation, and were the go-to destination for a few specialties.

So they decided to rip it all up by underfunding health insurance, which strikes directly at what they have built.

What a resource to squander.

[packman]

11. There be hootin' and hollerin' in OK today

among the common folk.

[IronLionZion]

12. There are reasons why we need liberals on the Supreme Court

they should have never struck down the expansion to make it optional. Coverage under Medicaid is even more necessary in red states since they tend to have more poverty.

[Skittles]

13. nothing surprising about conservative hypocrisy

it is SOP