Proposed Medicaid Block Grants

On Jan. 30, 2020, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced his administration’s health care plan, called SoonerCare 2.0, in Washington, D.C. where he was participating in the Trump administration’s release of the Healthy Adult Opportunity (HAO) initiative. Under SoonerCare 2.0, the governor will direct the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) by executive order to apply for the new Medicaid block grant proposal that will cover adults up to 138% of poverty. 

The block grant approach as suggested by the Trump administration may not be allowable under current federal statutes. OHA fully anticipates the CMS proposal will face legal and legislative challenges. In addition, this plan will cap Oklahoma’s ability to draw down federal dollars, increasing financial risk to the state.

For more background on SoonerCare 2.0, click here.

Resources

In the Middle of a Pandemic, Oklahoma Pursues A Medicaid Funding Cap, HealthAffairs, May 9, 2020

he Fiscal Impact of the Trump Administration's Medicaid Block Grant Initiative, The Commonwealth Fund, March 6, 2020

The Medicaid Block Grant (Experiment) Cometh, Health Affairs, Feb. 7, 2020

Block Grant Plan Would Hurt Medicaid Patients, AAFP Warns, AAFP, Feb. 3, 2020

Block Grant Guidance Overview, Center for Public Representation, Jan. 30, 2020

Medicaid Block Grants Threaten Beneficiary Access to Cancer Care, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Jan. 28, 2020

Tennessee Waltzes Down the Wrong Path with Medicaid Block Grant Proposal, Oklahoma Policy Institute, Nov. 6, 2019

Tennessee Medicaid Block Grant Proposal Will Test CMS Policy, Manatt Health, Oct. 2, 2019

Tennessee Medicaid “Block Grant” Proposal: Imagination Gone Wild, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, Sept. 25, 2019

New Study Finds Medicaid Per Capita Caps and Block Grants Would Lead to Deep Cuts to Children’s Coverage and Access, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, July 17, 2019

Pending CMS Guidance on Medicaid Block Grants: Executive Overreach Strikes Again, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, June 27, 2019

The Problems with Block-Granting Entitlement Programs, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities

The Problematic Law and Policy of Medicaid Block Grants, Health Affairs, July 24, 2019