Oklahoma Governor pushes Medicaid expansion to skeptical GOP

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s administration is submitting a proposal to expand Medicaid to the federal government, but Republican lawmakers are balking at a plan to pay for the state’s share.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority submitted its Medicaid expansion plan on Friday to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Stitt wants to take advantage of a block-grant-style Medicaid expansion offered to states by the federal government.

However, Republican lawmakers who have long opposed Medicaid expansion are against Stitt’s plan to tax hospitals for the roughly $150 million needed for the state’s share.