Ambulance service; requiring coverage for certain services. Effective date.

SB 1036 requires Oklahoma health insurers to cover ambulance services that involve triage, treatment, or transport to alternative destinations (like urgent care centers, mental health facilities, or Federally Qualified Health Centers) instead of hospitals, starting January 1, 2026. It applies to all people covered by health insurance plans in Oklahoma and mandates that insurers cover these services when initiated via a documented 9-1-1 call. The bill specifies that coverage must not reduce existing benefits and sets minimum reimbursement rates for ambulance providers using this alternative transport model. This law takes effect November 1, 2025, with coverage requirements beginning January 1, 2026.