Legislative task force identifies savings, proposes revamping Medicaid system

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A legislative task force says it's identified $111-million in savings, mostly in billing errors caused by fraud, abuse or mistakes.<br/><br/>The Medicaid Reform Task Force says

Thursday, February 2nd 2006, 6:04 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A legislative task force says it's identified $111-million in savings, mostly in billing errors caused by fraud, abuse or mistakes.

The Medicaid Reform Task Force says it plans to reinvest that money in patient care.

The task force was formed last year by state House Speaker Todd Hiett to examine Oklahoma's 40-year-old Medicaid program. The panel has adopted a series of recommendations to cut costs and transform the program that provides health care to more than 600,000 low-income Oklahomans.

The system's budget totals $3.36-billion this year. About 70 percent of Medicaid funding comes from the federal government.

Governor Brad Henry says he would be surprised if there's $111-million of waste in the program.