The 20-member Health Care Working Group includes nine members of each chamber and two members of Gov. J. Kevin Stitt's administration, Deputy Secretary of Health and Mental Health Carter Kimble and Deputy Secretary of State Samantha Davidson.

The bipartisan working group is focused on developing a solution for improving Oklahomans’ access to health care.

8/14/2019 – Representatives from the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority gave presentations on their respective roles in overseeing and encouraging healthy outcomes for all Oklahomans. OSDH highlighted the state's historically low national rankings and health outcomes. OHCA summarized the population currently covered by SoonerCare.

8/21/2019 – The working group focused on the Department of Corrections in the second meeting as it relates to Medicaid. Officials discussed health care costs and mental health for those who are incarcerated by DOC. The University Hospitals Authority and Trust gave a presentation on medical services provided to DOC by OU Medical Center. OHCA was also present and answered multiple questions from working group members.

8/28/2019 – Hudson College of Public Health gave numerous policy recommendations, and Stigler Health & Wellness Center discussed federally qualified health centers.

9/4/2019 – Deputy Secretary of Health Carter Kimble discussed Medicaid and numbers about Oklahoma’s insured and uninsured. The group also heard from Mostly Medicaid and Government Affairs and Innovation.

9/18/2019 – Duncan Regional Hospital President and CEO Jay Johnson and OU Medicine President and CEO Chuck Spicer presented their views on the state of health care access in Oklahoma. Dr. Kayse Shrum, president and CEO of OSU Health Sciences and dean of the College of Osteopathy, spoke of her center’s mission to educate primary care physicians, especially those in rural areas.

9/25/2019 – Representatives from the Chickasaw Nation's Division of Health and the Cherokee Nation’s Health Services gave an overview of the tribal health system and how it interacts with federal and state government.

You and your staff are invited to attend the 2019 Fall SoonerCare Provider Training Workshop hosted by OHCA and DXC Technology.

OHCA and DXC urge all providers, office managers, administrators and their staffs to attend this workshop. We will be covering important information and topics for multiple provider types.

Classes include: Adjustments and Third Party Liability; Dental Basics and Beyond; HMS: Medicaid Third Party Liability – Disallowance Overview; Lead Poisoning Prevention 101; Long Term Care Pay for Performance; SoonerCare Changes and Updates; SoonerCare Pharmacy Program Updates; SoonerQuit for Providers; Utilizing Your Provider Portal; and What’s New in Out of State Services?

Class descriptions explain the covered topics and recommended audience. Presentations will be posted one week before the scheduled workshop for providers to download and view. Classes will fill up soon, so mark your calendar and register now.

The workshop dates and locations are as follows:

Duncan – Oct. 3
Tulsa – Oct. 9 & 10
Oklahoma City – Oct. 17 & 18
Guymon – Oct. 24

» Register for the 2019 Fall Provider Training Workshop 

» Click here for Class Descriptions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added its most serious warning to certain insomnia medications. The boxed warning is due to rare but serious side effects including sleepwalking, sleep driving and engaging in other activities while not fully awake, with some of these behaviors resulting in death. Risks appear to be higher for eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata), and zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist) than other prescription medicines used for sleep. The boxed warning adds to the previous concerns noted in January 2013, May 2013, and May 2014.

The new warning includes a contraindication to avoid use in patients who have previously experienced an episode of complex sleep behavior with eszopiclone, zaleplon or zolpidem. Health professionals should advise their patients that these behaviors are rare, but serious, and have led to death. Patients should discontinue taking these medicines and notify their provider if they experience any episodes of complex sleep behavior. For additional information on healthy sleep habits, visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for resources, including: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep and Insomnia: Relaxation techniques and sleeping habits.

The final phase of daily opioid morphine milligram equivalent limits went into effect on Oct. 1, 2019. The gradually implemented changes address the current recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Beginning in Oct. 2019, a claim will process without a prior authorization if the member’s total daily MME does not meet or exceed 90. The limit applies to both short-acting and long-acting formulations. Providers can access a patient’s MME totals by consulting the Oklahoma Prescription Monitoring Program Aware system. OHCA encourages providers to access the PMP site and begin tapering (where appropriate) those members who meet or exceed the 90 MME threshold. If the member requires daily MME totals meeting or exceeding 90, the provider can submit a MME override request via form PHARM-111, available on the SoonerCare website (OHCA Pharmacy Forms). Current opioid prior authorization criteria and tier structure rules will continue to apply.

Medications provided for medication-assisted treatment are exempt from this policy. For more information regarding MAT coverage policies visit http://www.okhca.org/opg. For more information regarding the current opioid epidemic in Oklahoma, MAT and a list of available treatment centers and resources, visit https://okimready.org/. The OHCA is engaged in an effort to combat the prescription drug abuse epidemic in Oklahoma.

“Fish and shellfish are an important part of a well-rounded diet. However, we know many consumers worry about mercury… In fact, we have seen that women in the U.S. who are pregnant are consuming far less than the recommended amount of seafood.” This observation came from Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. In response to the trend, the FDA updated advice regarding fish consumption for young children and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or may become pregnant. The purpose of the update is “to make sure Americans are equipped with this knowledge so they can reap the benefits of eating fish, while choosing types of fish that are safe for them and their families to eat," Mayne said.

The FDA guidelines recommend adults eat at least 8 ounces of seafood per week based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should have 8-12 ounces of low-mercury seafood each week (see below). The FDA’s July revision highlights the nutritional value of fish and the associated health benefits such as, growth and development during pregnancy and early childhood; improved heart health and lowered risk of obesity. Young children and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or may become pregnant should avoid fish with the highest mercury levels.