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Oklahoma insurance program expands: About 2,800 businesses with up to 99 employees are now eligible for coverage(Daily Oklahoman, The Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 17--More small businesses will be able to participate in a state program that helps provide health coverage to uninsured Oklahomans. Gov. Brad Henry signed rules Friday that increase the number of eligible businesses able to take part in the Insure Oklahoma program. About 2,800 businesses with up to 99 employees -- up from a limit of 50 -- may now participate in the program. The rules call for gradually expanding the program to cover businesses with up to 250 employees. "We will incrementally increase that in order to try to get in as many small businesses as we can," said Nico Gomez, spokesman for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. The rules also allow low-income, full-time college students to participate in the program. Insure Oklahoma, part of Henry's 2004 health care proposal, helps small businesses buy health insurance for their workers. Legislators in 2007 approved the program's expansion, but it didn't receive the necessary, final federal approval until this month. The federal government gives the state about $2 in matching money for every dollar the state invests in the program. The emergency rules were the last act needed in order to expand the program. "The more people that participate in Insure Oklahoma, the better for our state," Henry said. "Health care costs are a major drag on business and the economy, but if we can increase the number of insured Oklahomans, we can start bringing those costs under control. This will help everyone's bottom line." How program works Under the Insure Oklahoma program, participating employers and employees pay a portion of their health insurance premiums with the state picking up the rest of the tab. The state pays 60 percent of the cost, employers pay 25 percent and employees pay 15 percent. The state's share of the program comes from money generated by the 2004 tobacco tax approved by voters. It generates about $41 million a year for the insurance program. It's estimated the annual tax earnings would support 40,000 employees. Gomez said about 16,584 Oklahomans are enrolled in the program. About 800 to 1,000 join the program each month; about 100,000 are eligible. Almost 4,000 businesses out of a possible 52,000 are participating in the program, Gomez said. The federal government did not approve increasing the income eligibility for individuals to take part in the program, Gomez said. Residents are eligible if they earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, he said. For a family of four, that would amount to an annual income of about $42,400. The state sought to increase the eligibility to 250 percent of the poverty level for working adults and 300 percent of the poverty level for children, Gomez said. Oklahoma will resubmit its application. The more people that participate in Insure Oklahoma, the better for our state. Health care costs are a major drag on business and the economy, but if we can increase the number of insured Oklahomans, we can start bringing those costs under control. This will help everyone's bottom line." Gov. Brad Henry To see more of The Oklahoman, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsok.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |