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  • Ben Sherrer State Representative 1-800-522-8502 ext. 364

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May 3, 2012

Insurance mandate opt-out: Okla’s race to the bottom

Ben Sherrer

Last week the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted to roll back decades of insurance reforms which require insurance companies to offer coverage for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, maternity, mental illness, immunization for children and a number of other protections currently in place to protect Oklahomans.

Under SB1059, out-of-state insurance companies that want to compete in the Oklahoma market would be authorized to offer health plans that don’t have Oklahoma mandated coverage. The legislation would also allow in-state insurance companies to offer the same products so there would be even competition in the marketplace.

Here is the rub: this is a way to get around the mandated coverages that are the product of decades of battles fought to protect Oklahomans. The stated theory is that if you don’t need maternity coverage or breast cancer coverage or immunizations for children, then you would have the opportunity to purchase a policy that doesn’t cover those things — and potentially have a cheaper premium. In theory this sounds great, but it does away with the group, pooled/shared risk theory of insurance.

I have serious concerns that as consumers look to buy health insurance products in the future they will simply look for the lowest price. We all have a tendency to jump at the lower price without reading a lot of the fine print with respect to insurance policies anyway. Only when a health disaster strikes will consumers realize their policy doesn’t cover things that for years have been mandated.

Oklahoma already ranks 47th out of 50 states in overall health indicators. Losing mandated preventative care measures would be very detrimental to our people and potentially solidify Oklahoma’s race to the bottom in overall health.

With only a month left in the legislative session, please let me hear from you on this or any other pending matter. I can be reached at bensherrer@okhouse.gov or 800-522-8502. Until next week, God bless you.

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