Bill to receive $150M in federal health care services dies

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democrats saw a host of their proposals in the areas of health care, energy production and insurance die in Republican-controlled committees this year.

Following is a sampling of the Democratic proposals that died without ever receiving a hearing.

A measure by Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa, that would have enabled Oklahoma to receive an estimated $150 million to underwrite health-care services for Native Americans died in the House Committee on Public Health without receiving a hearing.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority would have been authorized by House Bill 1831 to submit a waiver to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare services for care provided in Indian Health Service facilities, Native American health facilities and Urban Indian Organization health facilities. The waiver would provide payments to those facilities for formerly reimbursable services, “and more generally to cover otherwise uncompensated care.”

Also, HB 1571 by Rep. Cory Williams, D-Stillwater, that would have required all new or renewed residential property insurance policies to offer coverage “for loss caused by the peril of earthquake” died in the Insurance Committee without being discussed. The coverage would be optional, but carriers would be compelled to notify their customers of its availability.

State and federal geologists counted 5,418 earthquakes throughout Oklahoma last year, ranging in intensity from barely perceptible by seismographs to a magnitude-4.2, Oklahoma Geological Survey data show.

A record 567 of those earthquakes registered magnitude-3 or greater. In comparison, U.S. Geological Survey data reflect that Oklahoma experienced an average of fewer than two magnitude-3 quakes per year for 30 years, from 1978 through 2008.

The amount that a retired school teacher could earn upon returning to a public school classroom, and still qualify for state pension benefits, would be doubled from $15,000 to $30,000 by HB 1112 by Rep. Chuck Hoskin, D-Vinita. Hoskin is also a Cherokee Nation citizen and serves as CN Chief of Staff.

Similarly, HB 1364 by Rep. Claudia Griffith, D-Norman, would have allowed a retired teacher to earn up to $25,000 yet still continue to receive state pension benefits.

Both measures died in the Business, Labor and Retirement Laws Committee without receiving a hearing.