OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma could unintentionally lose hundreds of millions of dollars after privatizing part of its Medicaid system, health care experts said.
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is preparing to select a company that will eventually coordinate care for the state’s aged, blind and disabled population. However, a recently adopted federal rule cuts off an important revenue source for states that move to a managed care system.
Those payments help doctors, medical specialists, home-care providers and hospitals take on patients who use Medicaid.
Some health care experts worry that Oklahoma providers could lose $650 million in supplemental payments. Tammy Powell, president of St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City, said that Medicaid doesn’t pay for everything that a patient needs. Without the extra support, the hospital would lose money on every Medicaid patient.
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ddenwalt@oklahoman.com