Issues Impacting Oklahoma Doctors

Areas of concern:

• Legal Reform: Maintain our recent gains and provide greater protections for physicians. Promote access to care by providing physicians with a stable and lower-cost medical liability system.

• Physician Practice: Oppose legislation that would mandate specific courses of treatment or otherwise override a physician’s medical judgment. Support efforts to decrease administrative burdens on physician offices.

• Scope of Practice: Defend against any legislation that would expand the scopes of practice for mid-level providers without the approval of the Patients' Coalition. Support efforts to ensure that allopathic and osteopathic physicians are appropriately referenced in any legislation dealing with medical procedures. Oppose any legislation that could jeopardize patient safety or create a “two-tiered” system of care for patients on Medicaid or who live in medically underserved areas.

• Reimbursement: Maintain adequate physician reimbursement through Medicaid and support insurance reforms that will help maintain physician reimbursement levels. Promote access to care by providing adequate reimbursement and other incentives for physicians to see Medicaid patients and to serve in rural communities.

• Public Health. Support anti-tobacco, anti-obesity, vaccinations and other initiatives to improve the public health in Oklahoma.

• Residency Funding. Increase funding for graduate medical education (GME) to help train and retain the next generation of Oklahoma physicians.

Additional Resources:

• OK House
• OK Senate
• Our Lobbyists

For more information on state legislative issues contact Matt Robison.