New! Medicaid Has Expanded To Cover Adults Ages 19-64!
Posted on Friday, July 16th, 2021
A great opportunity is at hand for low-income adults in Love County to obtain health insurance.
SoonerCare has expanded to include eligible adults between the ages of 19-64.
Eligible means having a yearly income of $17,796 or less for an individual or $36,588 or less for a family of four.
There are no health insurance premiums for Expanded Medicaid. Co-pays are $4 for most medical services and prescriptions but are capped at 5% of income per year. Dependent family members also are covered.
Expanded Medicaid enrollees will have dental benefits, including exams, x-rays, dental cleanings, fluoride, dental fillings, and dentures and partial dentures.
SoonerCare is Oklahoma’s version of federal Medicaid. In a statewide election in 2020, voters approved an expansion of Medicaid - which means that more than 200,000 Oklahomans are now eligible to receive healthcare coverage through the program.
Expanded Medicaid went into effect July 1, 2021.
A 61-year-old local man was one of the first enrolled. He immediately called the Mercy Health/Love County clinic to make an appointment for a checkup. “I know there are things wrong with me that will need x-rays and lab tests and prescriptions. I am very relieved to have health insurance to keep me going until I reach Medicare age,” he said.
The man said during his working career, he had employer insurance for which he paid high premiums and deductibles, but most years he had no medical expenses.
Several local agencies are available to help people enroll – by telephone or in person. They include:
Love County Health Department, (580) 276-2531.
Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Kari VanBeber, Financial Counselor, (580) 276-3347.
Love County Department of Human Services, Kellee Casey, Administrative Technician, (580) 490-3600 (press 0 for operator when this automated DHS telephone is answered).
Other ways to enroll are online at mysoonercare.org or by calling the SoonerCare Healthline at 1-800-987-7767.
The enrollers will ask for information like:
- Social Security numbers and birthdates of people in your home.
- Current or recent health insurance information.
- Identity and citizenship information or alien registration information.
- Income information including employer name, address, and phone number for all household members who are employed.
- Amount of money received from other types of income.
- Expected date of delivery and number of babies of any pregnant household member.
Coverage is effective on the day of enrollment.
Many providers around the state accept Medicaid insurance. Patients should always ask before receiving services.
According to www.oklahoma.gov 90% of costs for expansion enrollees will be paid for by the federal government and maximizing federal funding allows the state to “promote integrated care and improve health outcomes, explore reinstating an adult dental benefit in SoonerCare, with a focus on preventive dental services; pursue substance use disorder and serious mental illness waivers to expand access to prevention and treatment services.”
Benefits for existing SoonerCare members do not change.
