Legislature passes bills to boost Medicaid funding

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Legislature has approved two separate measures that aim to boost funding for the state’s Medicaid program.

The House on Friday narrowly approved a bill that will increase a fee that hospitals pay from 2.5% to 4% that would generate about $134 million annually to help fund most of the state’s share of a Medicaid expansion.

Another measure approved in the Senate on Friday would ask voters to amend the constitution to divert a portion of tobacco settlement money to fund Medicaid.

Voters will decide on June 30th whether to approve a state question to expand Medicaid.