Oklahoma Medicaid agency seeks $200 million funding boost

OKLAHOMA CITY — The agency that oversees Medicaid in Oklahoma is requesting an additional $200 million, mostly to maintain its current level of health-care services for low-income residents, the agency’s new leader told state lawmakers on Tuesday.

Becky Pasternik-Ikard, the new chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, outlined her agency’s budget during a hearing Tuesday before the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

Pasternik-Ikard said about $120 million of the agency’s requested budget increase for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is to maintain its current level of programs. An additional $24 million would be required to restore a 3 percent rate cut to Medicaid providers in the state that was implemented last year.

The Health Care Authority received nearly $1 billion in state appropriations last year and was one of the few agencies to receive a funding increase amid a $1.3 billion shortfall.

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