9/3/20
For Immediate Release

Media Contact: 
Melissa Richey, Chief of Communications
405-982-8707 | melissa.richey@okhca.org

Katelynn Burns, Senior Media Relations Professional
405-522-7266 | katelynn.burns@okhca.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – As the Oklahoma Health Care Authority prepares for the expanded adult Medicaid population, the current Insure Oklahoma premium assistance program will be modified due to population changes.

Insure Oklahoma helps small businesses and their employees access quality health care coverage. As of July 2020, there were approximately 29,000 Employee Sponsored Insurance (ESI) and Individual Plan (IP) members.

As Oklahoma adds the expansion adult population, the ESI program will be revised to cover individuals with qualifying income from 138 to 200% of the federal poverty level starting July 1, 2021. Insure Oklahoma will continue to accept applications from small businesses who want to join the premium subsidy program. The IP members will be moved into the new expansion population.

Approximately 21,000 of the currently enrolled IP and ESI members will become covered as expansion adults. As adults who are 19 through 64 years old with lower income levels are moved to expansion adult coverage, they will not pay a premium for coverage in SoonerCare.

During the transition, which moves some IO members to expansion coverage, OHCA will provide IO stakeholders with timely notifications.  

Key dates for the transition:

Oct. 1, 2020 through Oct. 30, 2020 – The proposed plan will be posted on the public website for a 30-day public comment period.

Nov. 15, 2020 – Planned submission of the plan to CMS.

July 1, 2021 – Requested effective date of the plan.

Insure Oklahoma continues to accept applications from small businesses who want to join the premium subsidy program. Questions about applying may be directed to the Insure Oklahoma help line at 888-365-3742 or at InsureOklahoma.org.

For more information and updates about Oklahoma Medicaid expansion and changes to the Insure Oklahoma program visit http://www.okhca.org/expansion.

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About the Oklahoma Health Care Authority

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority administers two health programs for the state. The first is SoonerCare, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program. SoonerCare works to improve the health of qualified Oklahomans by ensuring that medically necessary benefits and services are available. Qualifying Oklahomans include certain low-income children, seniors, the disabled, those being treated for breast or cervical cancer and those seeking family planning services. The second program OHCA operates is Insure Oklahoma, which assists qualifying adults and small business employees in obtaining health care coverage for themselves and their families. Currently, there are 827,657 Oklahomans enrolled in OHCA’s programs. The agency contracts with a network of approximately 60,000 providers. For more information, visit www.okhca.org or www.insureoklahoma.org.