The number of uninsured Oklahomans could soar if Medicaid funding is rolled back

Yahoo

21-05-2025

As a health care leader, my No. 1 concern has always been helping patients receive the care they need, when they need it. That's why I'm greatly concerned about the $880 billion in Medicaid budget cuts Congress is currently considering.
Amid a year already marked by uncertainty and change, about 1 million Oklahomans who rely on Medicaid (also known as SoonerCare) to meet their health care needs face additional worries about whether they will be able to maintain access to the providers they know and trust. Many of these patients live in rural communities where small or critical access hospitals are essential.
Less than 10% of Oklahomans remain uninsured thanks to current Medicaid policies. But that number could soar if Medicaid funding is rolled back. This will not only affect patients — it will affect all of Oklahoma, as it could cost up to $2.5 billion in additional costs to the state. Despite already having a nearly $40 million shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, Oklahoma may have to draw down our $1.3 billion emergency fund to manage this unexpected expense. The state could also consider raising taxes or reducing funds from other programs to allocate funds toward Medicaid support.
If the state eventually does roll back Medicaid funding because of shifting cost responsibilities, hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans could be displaced from their current health care coverage. In the absence of SoonerCare, many will likely forgo coverage rather than seeking private insurance. This lack of coverage puts a tremendous burden on our hospitals and health systems — especially those in rural areas.
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For rural hospitals, a loss to Medicaid funding could result in an up to 15% reduction in revenue used to provide hope and healing for our most vulnerable community members, resulting in worse health outcomes, delayed treatments and increased mortality rates. This could then force these hospitals to cut essential services and employees or even close their doors, weakening the backbone of local economies by eliminating jobs and forcing residents to travel long distances for medical care.
Having served in health care for over 20 years, I feel strongly that it is more important than ever to amplify the voices of Oklahomans around these important issues. This is not the future I want for Oklahoma. We cannot afford to lose Medicaid funding.
As legislators consider cuts, we as Oklahomans must consider how this may impact communities around the state and advocate for what we want.
Call your federal representatives today and tell them to preserve Medicaid funding. If you are interested in staying up to date about how this issue could impact health care in our state, go to protecthealthcareinOK.org, a coalition focused on protecting and improving sustainable access in Oklahoma.
Jeremy Jones is the chief executive officer of Arbuckle Memorial Hospital in Sulphur.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma could see a $2.5B tab if Medicaid funding is cut | Opinion