Covering The Uninsured

Thursday, April 26th 2007, 6:22 am

By: News On 6

Six-hundred and fifty-thousand Oklahomans do not have any form of health insurance. That figure makes Oklahoma is one of the worst states in the country for the number of people who do not have health insurance. This week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is sending the message that everyone needs to have affordable health coverage.

Right now, one in five Oklahomans are not covered by health insurance. This week during "Cover the Uninsured" week, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma is spreading the word about OEPIC, which stands for The Oklahoma Employer-Employee Partnership for Insurance Coverage. OEPIC is a program for small business owners, which allows them to offer health coverage to their employees.

Chad Friesen with Blue Cross and Blue Shield says it is important to decrease the number of people without health insurance, because it affects everyone through rising health care costs. "It's going to take partnerships, working together on all levels from private insurers, the business community and state regulators, governments to address this problem."

Under the OEPIC program, the state pays 60-percent of the premiums and the employer and employee share the remaining costs.

There are eligibility requirements to qualify for OEPIC. For more information on OEPIC and how it works, contact your insurance agent or go to www.bcbsok.com.