Oklahoma Health Insurance
The Affordable Care Act will change the way some state residents access health insurance. According to a December 2012 Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) profile of Oklahoma, Gov. Mary Fallin announced the state would not create its own health insurance marketplace. Oklahoma is also one of 19 states that decided not to expand Medicaid eligibility.
Oklahomans are still free to access the national health insurance marketplace at HealthCare.gov. After registering for an account during open enrollment and completing the application process, state residents can find out if they qualify for private Oklahoma health insurance, subsidies to offset the cost of premiums, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP. The Oklahoma Insurance Department also publishes a health reform resource section to help consumers and insurance professionals understand how the new rules impact them.
Do you qualify for an Oklahoma health insurance subsidy?
The three main ways to get public assistance with health insurance for non-elderly adults are ACA premium subsidies, Medicaid and CHIP. About 44 percent of non-elderly adults now qualify for some type of assistance in this state, according to the KFF.
Typically, people who have access to other affordable health insurance through their jobs or through public programs will not qualify for assistance.
Tax credits: People who earn between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level may qualify for tax credits that can be applied to marketplace health insurance plans. Income must be between $11,490 and $45,960 for one person and between $23,550 and $92,400 for a family of four. Generally, subsidies will be based on 2013 poverty level limits, and Medicare and CHIP qualification will be based on 2014 limits.
Medicaid: Medicaid is limited in Oklahoma to non-disabled adults who are parents of minors with an income below 48 percent of the poverty level. This upper limit would be $11,450 for a family of four.
CHIP: Children of Oklahoma families who earn less than 210 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $50,085 for a family of four, might qualify for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Oklahoma residents who earn too much to qualify for assistance or have access to other affordable major medical plans might still decide to purchase marketplace plans. Qualified marketplace health insurance plans must provide minimum mandated benefits, and insurers can’t discriminate against people based on pre-existing health issues.
Oklahoma health insurance companies
These insurers offer qualified plans for Oklahoma residents:
- Aetna
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
- CommunityCare HMO
- Coventry Health and Life
- Coventry Health Care of Kansas
- GlobalHealth
Oklahoma health and coverage statistics
Oklahoma population (2013): 3,850,568
Population 65 and older (2012): 14 percent
Life expectancy (2010): 75.9 years
Number of Medicaid beneficiaries (2012): 642,200
Number of Medicare beneficiaries (2012): 552,800
Estimated number of uninsured residents (2012): 638,100
Overall state health ranking: 44
Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation, U.S. Census Bureau, America’s Health Rankings 2014 report.
Oklahoma health insurance resources
Oklahoma State Department of Health:
Federal marketplace:
Oklahoma Insurance Department:
SoonerCare (Oklahoma CHIP):
http://www.okdhs.org/services/health/Pages/soonercare.aspx
Oklahoma Health Care Authority:
Kaiser Family Foundation:
