State lawmakers to look for health care system savings

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State House members plan to tour the state in the coming months to look for $100-million in Medicaid system cost savings.<br/><br/>House Speaker Todd Hiett says the state's Medicaid

Wednesday, July 20th 2005, 6:29 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State House members plan to tour the state in the coming months to look for $100-million in Medicaid system cost savings.

House Speaker Todd Hiett says the state's Medicaid system is too costly and falls short of taking care of the children it's supposed to help.

Hiett raised the task force idea last year after he opposed a plan advocated by health care professionals to impose an assessment on patient revenue to produce federal funds to shore up the system.

Instead, leaders agreed create the task force and to use $63-million in natural gas revenue to leverage almost $200-million in federal funds for the Medicaid system.

Six Republicans and two Democrats will be on the task force, which holds its first meeting August 10th.