Fallin: Oklahoma Medicaid expansion ‘unaffordable’

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February 4, 2013

Fallin: Oklahoma Medicaid expansion ‘unaffordable’

Anonymous Associated Press Mon Feb 04, 2013, 02:08 PM CST

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says a proposal to expand the state’s Medicaid program is “unaffordable.”

Fallin made the remarks Monday during her State of the State remarks on the opening day of the Oklahoma Legislature’s 2013 regular session.

The state has rejected President Barack Obama’s proposal to expand its Medicaid program for low-income residents who do not have private health insurance. Fallin says a report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured says expanding the state’s program would increase its Medicaid costs by $689 million between 2013 and 2022.

Fallin also says expanding Medicaid as proposed by the president would divert huge sums of state tax dollars from education, public safety and other priorities as well as existing health care programs.

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