Oklahoma panel approves rejection of health care law

Clinics play critical role for underinsured, uninsured

The Shawnee clinic run by Gov. Mary Fallin’s aunt is among scores of community clinics in Oklahoma that serve areas with a shortage of primary-care providers.
The clinics play a critical role in providing basic care to the uninsured and underinsured poor.
Some clinics, like the one in Shawnee, get most of their support from private donations. Others receive significant federal funding along with patient payments.
Enid is home to such a clinic. Enid Community Clinic operates at 1107 E. Broadway and sees patients Tuesday nights.
Oklahoma Primary Care Association represents about 50 community health centers located in medically underserved areas — a federal designation — around the state. Eighteen nonprofits operate those centers, which charge on a sliding-fee scale for patients up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Most are in rural areas. In 2011, about 135,000 patients were treated at the clinics, and 40 percent were uninsured, said Brent Wilborn, director of public policy for the Oklahoma Primary Care Association.
Wilborn said the role of the health clinics in providing access to treatment is “absolutely critical.”
“Even with insurance, people have limited choices when it comes to accessing preventive care or maintenance (treatment) of chronic illness,” he said.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services operates a website http://findahealthcenter.hr sa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx?byCounty=1 where people can enter a state, county, city or address to find a nearby community health center.짉

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Mike Ritze

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February 19, 2013

Oklahoma panel approves rejection of health care law

By Dan Holtmeyer Associated Press Tue Feb 19, 2013, 09:38 PM CST

OKLAHOMA CITY — A state legislator called on his colleagues Tuesday to formally reject federal health care reform, arguing that Oklahoma should add its voice to a growing chorus of opposition to the law.

Legislation from Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, would essentially declare President Barack Obama's health care law unconstitutional and void in the state. Although it would carry little weight, Ritze argued that approval of the measure would add Oklahoma to the list of states showing they oppose the law, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.

"Basically it's a political message that's sent to Congress and this government that the states are the master, the federal government is the servant," Ritze said.

He added that his bill is directed at the law's mandate that employers provide birth control coverage in health insurance plans.

The legislation was approved 7-3 by the House Public Health Committee, though several members asked whether the bill was necessary.

Rep. Glen Mulready, R-Tulsa, supported the bill but said a House Joint Resolution, which has less legal force, might be better. Other committee members said if the federal law is to be fought, this method wouldn't work.

"The only thing that this is going to accomplish is wasting the time of staff," said Democrat Rep. Mike Shelton, who voted against the proposal. "We need to figure out how to fight this battle a different way."

But Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City, called the bill a matter of religious freedom. She referred to groups that have fought the birth control mandate, including Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby. The arts and crafts retail chain is owned by a Christian family.

"If we can, by making a statement of any sort, throw our support behind those people ... then I'm certainly going to support that," she said.

Ritze's bill originally tried to make enforcement of the federal law in Oklahoma a felony. An amendment removed that portion.