The Chamber further opposes new mandates being placed on physicians, hospitals and providers that will increase the cost of providing quality health care in Oklahoma. PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE The Chamber opposes a state-mandated and/or state-run paid family and medical leave program of any kind imposed on Oklahoma employers. NETWORK PROTECTION The Chamber opposes legislation, restrictions, regulations and taxes which would eliminate the incentive for medical providers to contract with managed care networks and, as a result, potentially frustrate efforts at cost and quality control and ultimately deny consumers the benefits of cost-reducing arrangements with providers. The Chamber further opposes legislation that would interfere with an employer’s ability to offer affordable health benefits due to a reduced ability to control benefit plans relating to prescription drugs. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INSURANCE SECURITY ACT (ERISA) PROTECTIONS The Chamber opposes legislative efforts to undermine federal ERISA protections MEDICAL EDUCATION FUNDING The Chamber supports maintaining physician training funding for the state’s two largest medical schools in the base budgets of the University Hospitals Authority and Oklahoma State University Medical Authority. PHYSICIAN AND NURSING SHORTAGE/RURAL AND UNDERSERVED ACCESS The Chamber supports the following initiatives to address health care disparities: 1) incentivizing the recruitment and retention of primary care physicians, specialty physicians, mental health professionals and allied health professionals in rural, underserved and other areas; 2) expanding residency programs for the state’s medical schools; and 3) strengthening the health care workforce by expanding programs that train medical professionals as well as the number of available nursing school spots, and supporting the success of the Oklahoma Nursing Center. The Chamber supports efforts to identify new public funding streams dedicated to these initiatives. The Chamber also supports the appropriate expansion of existing technology platforms, such as telemedicine and telehealth, and data platforms to enhance access to health care for Oklahomans.
The Chamber supports Oklahoma’s participation in medical compacts to improve access to high-quality health care.
WORKFORCE AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT The Chamber supports efforts to grow and bolster talent pipelines of skilled professionals to fill cutting-edge research, scientific and health care roles critical to our health and life science economies. TOBACCO SETTLEMENT ENDOWMENT TRUST (TSET) The Chamber supports the constitutional provisions of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to support the public health of Oklahomans, and to support research and grant functions of the programs. APPROPRIATIONS SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS The Chamber supports adequate state funding for community health centers to provide quality health care to underserved Oklahomans, prevent cost shifting to other entities and maintain a healthy workforce for Oklahoma’s employers. HEALTH CARE FUNDING The Chamber supports protecting existing public health care revenue streams and opposes cuts to the state Medicaid budget that would increase the burden of uncompensated care and shift costs to employers and health care providers. The Chamber further supports a stable funding and tax structure for the health care industry to promote optimal care delivery and innovation.
The Chamber will further encourage state investment in support of the biosciences industry and associated clusters.
CHILD CARE The Chamber supports targeted policies designed to increase availability of non-mandated, high-quality childcare and out of school time options to help generate increased workforce development. WELLNESS INITIATIVES The Chamber supports the following state and local initiatives, including wellness, disease prevention and care programs, that serve to improve the physical, behavioral and mental health of Oklahoma citizens: tobacco prevention programs; efforts to mitigate the harmful health effects of e-cigarettes/vaping; public outreach initiatives; efforts to address health disparities; and workplace and school-based wellness initiatives, including health education and healthy eating programs. and workplace and school-based wellness initiatives, including health education and healthy eating programs.
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