Senate Democratic Leader Sean Burrage issued the following comments in response to Gov. Mary Fallin’s announcement that Insure Oklahoma would receive a one year extension from the federal government.
“We are pleased and relieved to see that tens of thousands of hard-working Oklahomans won’t be forced to lose their health insurance at the end of this year.
We applaud Gov. Fallin, the Obama administration, and the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority for working together to find a solution – however temporary – that will ensure Oklahoma small businesses and hard-working Oklahomans will continue to have access to health insurance. We are thankful that the thousands of individuals who will no longer have access to insurance through Insure Oklahoma will be able to access the federal Health Insurance Marketplace set up through the Affordable Care Act. We hope that these groups will continue to work together towards a solution to Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma.
Insure Oklahoma is a successful, important program and there are still many uncertainties about its future. We must all be committed to working together to create a long-term solution which will keep this kind of fear and uncertainty from happening again next year.”