House GOP unveils health insurance plan Lawmakers want to reduce the number of Oklahomans without coverage.

Barbara Hoberock

Jan. 29, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- OKLAHOMA CITY -- House Republicans announced an agenda Wednesday to reduce the number of residents who don't have health insurance.

About 600,000 Oklahomans do not have health insurance, which results in shifting costs to those who do, said Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee.

"Percentage-wise, we have the fifth-highest number of uninsured in the nation," he said.

House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, said the agenda focuses on affordability, access and quality.

Steele said the agenda includes adding preventive care and wellness programs to Insure Oklahoma, a health insurance program for small businesses and their employees.

Another measure would enable insurance companies to offer lower-cost premiums for uninsured people ages 18 to 40 by freeing companies from some state mandates requiring that specific things be covered.

The agenda includes one-stop shopping on a Web-based system to enable uninsured Oklahomans to find an insurance plan that best fits their needs, Steele said.

Lawmakers also want to provide information about insurance coverage when people without it seek medical care, he said.

Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, who is a physician, said he envisions a system in which patients who are uninsured and seek care at an emergency room can receive it at a reduced rate if they return to show that they obtained insurance coverage.

Steele said the platform also calls for encouraging more business to use Section 125 plans, which allow employees

to use pretax dollars to buy health insurance.

"We want to encourage and reward more companies to offer that option to their employees," he said.

"The business would get a $500 tax credit from the state if it offered these plans to their employees."

Barbara Hoberock (405) 528-2465 barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com

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