Medicaid provider to comply with federal court order

POTEAU, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma <b><a class="headlinelink" href="http://www.kotv.com/main/home/searchKOTV.asp?mainSearch=Medicaid">Medicaid</a></b> officials have taken the first steps to comply with a

Friday, June 10th 2005, 6:35 am

By: News On 6

POTEAU, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma Medicaid officials have taken the first steps to comply with a court order that requires doctors who treat poor children to be paid more money.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority took the action at its meeting in Poteau Thursday. The agency plans to consider a rate increase effective August 1st at its meeting next month.

US District Judge Claire V. Eagan of Tulsa ruled May 19th that physicians who treat young Medicaid patients must be paid the same amount they would receive for treating senior citizens covered by Medicare.

Now, many of Oklahoma's 360,000 poor children don't get any medical care. A federal lawsuit alleged doctors don't accept Medicaid patients because of low physician reimbursement rates.

The judge ruled the state's Medicaid program was violating federal law.