HB 4423 requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to verify the immigration status of all Medicaid applicants using the federal SAVE system (or its successor) before approving benefits. It specifically mandates that the Authority notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if an applicant's status cannot be verified as lawful. This applies to all applicants, including adults applying for child-only Medicaid benefits on behalf of a child. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not change Medicaid eligibility criteria but adds a verification step for immigration status.
SB 1425 repeals three existing Oklahoma statutes related to health care workforce programs: 70 O.S. 2021 §2640 (Oklahoma Health Care Workers and Educators Assistance Program) and 74 O.S. 2021 §§3200.1-3200.2 (Health Care Workforce Resources Act). This bill eliminates the legal framework for these specific programs, which previously provided assistance to health care workers and educators. The repeal takes effect on November 1, 2026, and directly affects the administrative structure and operations of those programs. No new provisions or funding are created; the bill solely removes the existing laws.
HB 3644 (the Blake Burgess Act) requires hospitals with emergency departments and ambulatory surgical centers to implement standardized VTE (venous thromboembolism, or blood clot in veins) risk assessments for patients using nationally recognized tools and provide annual training to non-physician clinical staff. It mandates a statewide VTE registry managed by a private, nonprofit entity meeting specific criteria, which hospitals must report to starting July 2027 with data including patient age, zip code, sex, diagnosis details, and treatment. The registry collects information to improve VTE care quality, monitor outcomes, and inform state health reports, with hospitals required to submit data on VTE incidence, patient demographics, and treatment. The law directly affects hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and their clinical staff through new screening, training, and reporting obligations.
HB 3767 adds specific synthetic drugs and substances to Oklahoma's Schedule I and IV of controlled dangerous substances under state law. It directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or using the newly listed compounds, including various fentanyl analogs (like para-fluorofentanyl), synthetic hallucinogens (like psilocybin and salvia), and other novel psychoactive substances. The bill amends Oklahoma's Controlled Dangerous Substances Act by expanding the official lists in Schedule I (substances with no medical use and high abuse potential) and Schedule IV (substances with accepted medical use but potential for abuse). This creates new legal prohibitions for these substances without requiring additional medical or legal exceptions.
HB 4294 requires health insurers in Oklahoma to provide equal coverage for epilepsy as for other conditions, prohibiting termination or non-renewal of policies solely due to an epilepsy diagnosis. It mandates coverage for seizure prevention devices, surgeries, or medical procedures prescribed by an epilepsy specialist when medically necessary to reduce SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) risk. The law applies to all individual and group health insurance plans covering medical/surgical benefits and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects epilepsy patients and insurers offering such coverage in Oklahoma.
HB 2749 creates a special fund called the Intergenerational Education Revolving Fund within the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. It establishes a competitive grant program to connect nursing facilities participating in Oklahoma's Medicaid program with public school districts for collaborative intergenerational education initiatives. Grant awards, provided as rate adjustments to qualifying facilities, will fund these partnerships. The program begins July 1, 2025, with funds limited to the total amount deposited into the revolving fund.
HB 2268 requires the Oklahoma Medicaid Program or its contracted entities to reimburse providers for "cognitive assessment and care planning services" (defined using standard medical billing code 99483). This directly affects low-income Medicaid beneficiaries who receive these specific cognitive care services. The bill mandates reimbursement for these services under existing Medicaid rules, with no new funding or eligibility changes. It takes effect November 1, 2025.
SB 1428 creates the Office of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Service Coordination within Oklahoma’s State Department of Health, effective November 1, 2026. The office will coordinate statewide dementia services, eliminate duplicated efforts, collect data, support staff training, and identify grant opportunities to improve care for individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementias and their caregivers. It requires the office to maintain a full-time dementia services coordinator position to manage operations. The bill repeals two outdated sections of Oklahoma law (63 O.S. 2021, Sections 1-879.2 and 1-879.3) related to dementia services.
HB 1168 makes it a felony to knowingly deliver or possess abortion-inducing drugs (like misoprostol or methotrexate) with the intent of causing an abortion, punishable by up to $100,000 in fines or 10 years in prison. It directly affects individuals who provide such drugs for non-exceptional purposes, including off-label use for abortion. Key exceptions include pharmacists, manufacturers, and distributors acting within lawful medical practices, as well as preventive contraception used as directed by manufacturers. The law does not restrict treatment for ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, or medical uses of drugs like chemotherapy.
HB 3143 extends Oklahoma's moratorium on new medical marijuana business licenses (dispensaries, processors, growers) from August 1, 2026, to August 1, 2028. It requires existing license holders to get written approval from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority before transferring ownership, including submitting documentation to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics. Transfers must follow a 15-business-day timeline for license and registration changes, and applicants cannot submit transfer requests if disciplinary actions are pending. The bill also mandates that businesses provide a full inventory of all medical marijuana products during ownership changes and prohibits transfers without approval, with a 30-day window for pending applications to comply with new rules.
