Legal News

Okla. court hears arguments on new Medicaid fee

By (Breaking Legal News)

An attorney for Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland's office asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court Monday to strike down a new law designed to raise revenue for the state's Medicaid program.

Attorney Michael Ridgeway told the high court state lawmakers did not follow constitutional guidelines when they passed the bill. Their errors included failing to get a required three-fourths vote of the House and Senate, he said.

The law sets a 1 percent fee on claims paid by private health insurers and companies with self-insured health care plans to support Medicaid, which provides health care to low-income and elderly residents.

Attorneys for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the state's Medicaid provider, and other state agencies urged the court to uphold the new law and said it was meant to increase residents' access to health care services provided by Medicaid.

Full post as published by Breaking Legal News on August 24, 2010 (boomark / email).