Lawmakers and health experts discuss plan for impact from Medicaid cuts

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma state lawmakers are working to get a jump on cuts to the state's Medicaid funding before the Trump Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” goes into effect.

"As it impacts our state budget, I think we need to just try to wrap our heads around it and not get caught surprised," said Rep. Mark Chapman, R-Broken Arrow.

The cuts will put the squeeze on the state’s budget and many of the hospitals Oklahomans rely on every day.

"The solution needs to start in rural Oklahoma," said Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole.

Dr. Tracy Hoos is a Muskogee pediatrician who said more than half of his patients are from rural Oklahoma.

"We have a high Medicaid population, probably 55 percent who have Medicaid solely," said Hoos.

He spoke before lawmakers on Tuesday at the State Capitol. Legislators want to better understand the impacts of the looming federal cuts to the state’s Medicaid coverage.

"I think that's what a lot of Oklahomans don't realize, is that even though we like to see decreased spending at the federal level, sometimes there's a pretty significant trickle-down effect and Oklahoma's going to be one of the ones that's going to be hurt the most," said Hoos. "These are young families who are starting out, who are generally on these types of insurance plans, that's going to receive these cuts."

According to the Oklahoma Hospital Association, in 2023, around 53 percent of rural Oklahoma hospitals that receive a fixed reimbursement from Medicaid fell into a medium or high risk of closure. For the state’s rural critical access hospitals, that number jumped to 79 percent.

"For most of those communities, the hospital is the hub, it's the center, it's the main employer in town,” said Maggie Martin, Oklahoma Hospital Association.   Right now, 21 rural hospitals in Oklahoma are at risk of closing under the new cuts.

"There are others right on that verge. We cannot stay like we are,” said Williams. “We're talking about reducing the amount of income they get. And that just exacerbates the problem."

It's estimated that 171,000 Oklahomans will lose their Medicaid coverage under the plan.