Stitt to make Medicaid announcement in DC

Gov. Kevin Stitt will participate in a federal Medicaid announcement Thursday in which he is expected to unveil his health care plan.

St it twill travel to Washington, D.C ., to join Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and White House officials in a news conference about Medicaid changes.

National news outlets have reported federal officials will use the event to outline their plan to overhaul Medicaid by letting states receive Medicaid funds in the form of controversial block grants.

St itt, who has not revealed details of his healthcare plan, has expressed a desire to completely overhaul how Oklahoma's Medicaid program, Sooner Care, is funded by shifting to a block grant funding model.

Under a block grant system, Oklahoma would receive a lump sum of funding for Medicaid, as opposed to the federal government reimbursing Oklahoma for a share of its Medicaid costs based on a funding formula.

In speaking to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Stitt joked his staffers warned him not to spill the beans on his health care plan before the upcoming announcement.

“I have listened to Oklahomans, and Oklahomans want more federal dollars in our system so, I've got a very awesome plan that I told them I would not share with you,” he said. “Later this week, I'm going to have that rolled out.”

Stitt will unveil his plan before the vote on State Question 802, which would expand Medicaid in Oklahoma. SQ 802 has qualified for the ballot, but Stitt, who opposes the question, has yet to say when the measure will come up for a vote.

He hopes his health care plan will neutralize the state question, leading voters to reject the measure when it comes up for a vote. But despite Stitt's best efforts, voters could still pass SQ 802, which would upend the governor's plans.

“If the ballot measure passes, then my plan goes out the window, and we have to implement it (the state question) exactly as it says in our constitution ,” St it ts aid .“So, I'm going to be proactive, and I'm going to do something this legislative session to answer the needs of Oklahomans.”