SB 207 establishes the Oklahoma Rare Disease Advisory Council within the State Department of Health to address the needs of Oklahomans living with rare diseases (defined as conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people nationally). The Council, composed of 13 diverse members including patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers, and industry representatives, will conduct public hearings, develop policy recommendations, and create emergency care protocols to improve access to specialists, diagnostics, and equitable treatment. The bill also modifies Oklahoma’s newborn screening program to require an educational initiative for treatable genetic disorders, aiming to prevent intellectual disabilities and reduce infant mortality through early intervention. This legislation directly affects rare disease patients, their families, healthcare providers, and state agencies responsible for public health programs in Oklahoma.
SB 1039 modifies Oklahoma's medical marijuana licensing system. It establishes a new Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to process applications, sets a $100 biannual fee (or $20 for Medicaid/Medicare/SoonerCare users) for patient licenses, and creates three license types: standard two-year licenses, 60-day short-term licenses for patients with limited physician recommendations, and 30-day temporary licenses for out-of-state patients from regulated states. The bill requires the Authority to review applications within 14 business days and provide written denial reasons, while also creating caregiver licenses for homebound patients with specific limits. This law directly affects Oklahoma residents seeking medical marijuana access, out-of-state visitors with valid programs, and caregivers.
HB 2513, titled the "Oklahoma Mental Health Reform Act of 2025," proposed creating a position requiring an individual with specific qualifications to address the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services' court-ordered consent decree. The bill specified requirements for this appointee and included an emergency provision. It was scheduled to take effect November 1, 2025, but was pocket-vetoed by the Governor on May 30, 2025, with the veto taking effect June 15, 2025, meaning it never became law. The bill directly affected the Department's compliance with its existing legal agreement but was not enacted.
HB 2645 creates a tax credit for qualifying doctors practicing medicine in rural Oklahoma, directly affecting licensed physicians who meet specific residency and education criteria. The credit, capped at $20,000 per year per doctor, applies to taxable income from medical practice in designated rural areas (population under 25,000 and at least 25 miles from larger cities). The bill includes an annual $1 million total credit limit, with adjustments to prevent exceeding this cap. The bill was pocket-vetoed by the governor on June 15, 2025, and never became law.
HB 1576 requires Oklahoma Medicaid to cover rapid whole genome sequencing (RWGS) for eligible beneficiaries under age 21 with complex or acute illnesses of unknown cause while receiving critical care in a hospital. It mandates coverage only when specific medical criteria are met, such as symptoms suggesting broad genetic testing needs, timely diagnosis being critical for treatment, and conditions like congenital anomalies or abnormal test results. The bill also ensures genetic data used for diagnosis is protected under HIPAA, allows research use only with explicit patient or guardian consent (with opt-out rights), and requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to implement rules and seek federal approval for coverage. This policy directly affects Medicaid-covered children and teens in intensive care with undiagnosed conditions.
HB 1224 allows certain minors to consent to specific health services without parental approval, including treatment for pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, or sexual assault. Parents generally retain access to their minor child's medical records, but this right is limited when the minor uses the bill's self-consent provisions for the listed health conditions. Health professionals must make a reasonable attempt to notify parents for emergency care but are not required to inform them for most other services covered under the bill. The bill also protects health providers from liability when acting in good faith under these rules, ensuring minors' confidentiality in sensitive health matters.
Oklahoma's SB 773 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) by prohibiting unfair practices that affect independent pharmacies and patients. It requires PBMs to pay independent pharmacies the same reimbursement rate for identical drugs as they pay PBM-owned pharmacies, banning "spread pricing" where PBMs charge plans more than they pay pharmacies. The bill also prohibits PBMs from charging pharmacies fees for claim submission, network enrollment, or claims processing, and restricts retroactive payment reductions except for fraud or audit errors. These changes directly impact PBMs, pharmacies, and health plans operating in Oklahoma, aiming to ensure fairer payment practices. The bill was vetoed by the governor but overridden by the legislature on May 29, 2025.
HB 2048, the "340B Nondiscrimination Act," prohibits health insurers, pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), and third-party payors from discriminating against healthcare providers participating in the federal 340B drug discount program. It specifically bans lower reimbursement rates for 340B drugs, extra fees or administrative burdens for 340B entities, exclusion from provider networks based on 340B status, and requirements to disclose 340B-specific billing details. The law applies to all 340B entities - such as community health centers and hospitals participating in the federal program - and ensures they receive equal treatment in billing, reimbursement, and network access. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General, with the Oklahoma Medicaid program excluded from these provisions.
This bill requires Oklahoma health insurance plans to cover low-dose mammography screenings for breast cancer without cost-sharing (such as deductibles or copays). It mandates coverage once every five years for women aged 35-39 and annually for women 40 and older. The law also requires coverage for necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast exams, including those for high-risk cases like dense breast tissue. The policy takes effect November 1, 2025.
HB 2782 creates a "Rate Preservation Fund" within Oklahoma's Health Care Authority to prevent cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates for healthcare providers when the state's federal Medicaid funding percentage decreases. The bill allows the Authority to use fund monies to maintain these rates and permits temporary transfers of up to one-third of the fund's balance to other Medicaid program accounts for cash flow needs - provided the funds are fully repaid to the preservation fund by year-end. This directly affects hospitals, clinics, and other Medicaid providers who rely on stable reimbursement rates. The law also declares an emergency to take immediate effect.
