Healthcare (Healthcare Workforce)

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 26, 2025

HB 1577: State Medicaid program; medically necessary; donor human milk-derived products; reimbursement; promulgation of rules; policy or procedure; Oklahoma Health Care Authority; federal approval; effective date.

HB 1577 requires Oklahoma Medicaid to cover medically necessary donor human milk-derived products (like donated breast milk) for infants under 12 months in inpatient or outpatient settings. Coverage applies when a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner certifies it is needed due to low birth weight (under 1,500 grams), prematurity (34 weeks or less gestation), or a specific medical condition. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority must establish quality standards for these products, provide separate reimbursement (not bundled with hospital payments), and develop implementing rules while seeking federal approval. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, directly impacting Medicaid-covered infants and healthcare providers in Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires Medicaid coverage for medically necessary donor human milk products, expanding access for infants with low birth weight/prematurity under specific medical conditions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Medicaid

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 668: Health care; prohibiting health care staffing agency from charging certain excess fee; making agency liable for certain violation. Effective date.

SB 668 caps fees that health care staffing agencies can charge when placing workers who previously worked at a hospital or nursing facility. Specifically, the fee cannot exceed 105% of the worker’s highest hourly wage paid by that facility within the past two years. Covered facilities (hospitals or licensed nursing/specialized facilities) can sue agencies for violations if they fail to correct excessive fees after being notified with payroll records. If found liable, agencies must pay damages, attorney fees, and other remedies. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCaps staffing agency fees to protect healthcare workers' compensation, preventing excessive charges that could disrupt workforce stability and patient care access.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCaps staffing fees to protect worker wages, preventing excessive charges that reduce earnings from hospital/nursing facility placements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Minimum Wage

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 442: Health care; authorizing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist to provide interventional pain management services and operate certain facilities under specified conditions. Effective date.

SB 442 allows Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Oklahoma to provide specific interventional pain management treatments, such as nerve ablation, spinal injections, and fluoroscopy-guided procedures, under defined conditions. CRNAs may operate freestanding pain facilities only when collaborating with a board-certified physician who is available for immediate on-site consultation. The bill explicitly prohibits CRNAs from performing surgical techniques, prescribing opioids, or conducting procedural sedation. This directly affects CRNAs, pain management facilities, and patients seeking non-surgical chronic pain treatments under these new parameters.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands CRNA scope to provide pain management services, increasing provider access to care under defined conditions without restricting patient access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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vetoed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 2298: Practice of nursing; providing for independent prescriptive authority of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain requirements; modifying various provisions of the Oklahoma Pharmacy Act, the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, and the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act; effective date.

HB 2298 allows qualified Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in Oklahoma - such as nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives - to prescribe medications independently after meeting specific requirements. To qualify, APRNs must complete 6,240 supervised clinical hours, hold a valid license, and carry $1 million in malpractice insurance per incident. The bill also sets rules for APRN advertising (requiring clear disclosure of their role and scope) and defines supervision requirements for those not yet eligible for independent prescribing. It modifies Oklahoma’s Nursing Practice Act, Pharmacy Act, and Controlled Substances Act to implement these changes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands APRN prescribing authority, increasing patient access to care through independent medication management without restrictions or defunding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Prescription Drugs

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 21, 2025

HB 1676: Officers; Kay Floyd SANE Act; District Attorneys Council; Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Statewide Coordinator; salary; effective date.

HB 1676, the "Kay Floyd SANE Act," creates a new Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Statewide Coordinator position within Oklahoma's District Attorneys Council. The coordinator will oversee forensic medical exam training, recruit SANE professionals, develop local SANE and Sexual Assault Response Team programs, and manage payments from the Sexual Assault Examination Fund. The role requires a minimum annual salary of $125,000, funded through the District Attorneys Council's appropriations. The position is established until October 1, 2025, with the bill taking effect November 1, 2025. This directly affects county-level sexual assault response systems and SANE program expansion statewide.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates SANE coordinator role to improve sexual assault response systems, fund training, and manage victim forensic services within criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates SANE Coordinator role to develop healthcare-focused sexual assault response programs, fund forensic exams, and recruit medical professionals, directly advancing healthcare services for victims.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 13, 2025

SB 569: Practice of nursing; providing for independent prescriptive authority of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain requirements. Effective date.

SB 569 would allow Oklahoma Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) - including Certified Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Nurse-Midwives - with three years of supervised prescribing experience to apply for independent prescribing authority. To qualify, APRNs must hold a current license and provide proof of their supervised practice to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. The bill requires $1 million in malpractice insurance per incident and mandates the Board to review applications, with authority to approve, deny, or revoke prescribing privileges. This directly affects APRNs seeking to prescribe medications without physician oversight in Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands APRN prescribing authority, improving patient access to care without restricting coverage or funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 937: Health care; creating the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act of 2025. Effective date.

Oklahoma's SB 937 establishes the "Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act of 2025," creating a legal framework for advance health care planning. It defines when an individual has the capacity to make health care decisions (including understanding risks/benefits), presumes capacity unless rebutted by a qualified health professional, and allows individuals to create health care instructions or appoint agents. The bill requires health care providers to document these instructions in medical records, prohibits certain family members from serving as agents, and specifies that conflicting instructions revoke prior ones. This directly affects Oklahomans planning future health care, their providers, and those acting as surrogates when capacity is disputed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects patient rights by establishing advance care planning framework, allowing individuals to define health care instructions and appoint agents.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 2947: Behavioral health; terms; Medicaid; scope of practice; interns; administrative requirements; effective date.

HB 2947 adds a new provider code in Oklahoma Medicaid for master's and doctoral-level behavioral health clinical interns. These interns - graduate students in nationally accredited programs - can provide services under the direct supervision of licensed behavioral health providers (like LPCs or LCSWs) while following all Medicaid documentation and training requirements. The bill directly affects interns seeking practical experience and licensed supervisors who will oversee their Medicaid-covered services. It expands Medicaid access to behavioral health care by formalizing intern participation in the state's Medicaid plan.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid coverage for behavioral health interns, enabling supervised services and improving mental health access under public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medicaid Mental Health

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 2233: Professions and occupations; Massage Therapy Act; Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision; effective date.

HB 2233 updates Oklahoma's Massage Therapy Practice Act by clarifying licensing rules and scope of practice for massage therapists. It directly affects licensed massage therapists, massage therapy schools, and other health professionals who may provide massage services. Key changes include renaming the regulating board to the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, explicitly allowing "direct access" (public can seek massage without medical referral), and defining massage therapy as soft tissue techniques (e.g., touch, pressure, heat) while prohibiting diagnosis, prescribing, or medical techniques like ultrasound. The bill also clarifies exemptions for physicians, students, and specific practices like the Feldenkrais Method when performed within their established professional scope.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows direct access to massage therapy without medical referral, improving patient access to health services per bill's scope of practice update.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 737: Oklahoma Interventional Pain Management and Treatment Act; defining terms. Effective date.

SB 737 establishes the Oklahoma Interventional Pain Management and Treatment Act, defining "interventional pain management" as the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain using specific techniques like nerve ablation, spinal injections, or surgical procedures such as laser diskectomy. The bill requires all practitioners to hold a valid medical license under Oklahoma's existing medical licensure laws, prohibiting unlicensed practice of these services. It also sets clear supervision rules for certified nurse anesthetists, allowing them to administer certain pain treatments under a physician's direct oversight but banning them from operating freestanding pain clinics without a board-certified physician supervising the facility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires licensed practitioners for interventional pain management, ensuring patient safety and quality care standards under healthcare regulations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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