Sen. Greg McCortney

Maddy summarySB 1675 modifies the Oklahoma Medicaid program by updating definitions, contract rules, and operational deadlines to ensure smoother administration of state health services. The bill clarifies terms such as "contracted entity" and "essential community provider" to include specific types of healthcare organizations and facilities that deliver care to Medicaid members. It also adjusts timelines for credentialing providers, reviewing prior authorization requests, and processing insurance claims to improve efficiency. Additionally, the legislation expands the scope of postpayment audits to cover downcoded claims and sets new requirements for certain clinical reviews to be conducted by licensed Oklahoma staff.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a specific schedule for the 60th Oklahoma Legislature to follow during its upcoming session. It sets the start date for the session, outlines when lawmakers must finish drafting new laws, and defines the deadline for introducing bills to the floor for consideration. These rules directly affect state legislators by creating a timeline for when they can propose and debate legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Public Access Counselor Unit within the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office to help resolve disputes over public records requests. When a public body denies or delays access to records, an individual can file a written review request within 30 days, and the Attorney General must issue a binding decision within 60 days. The law also allows for advisory opinions to guide public bodies on compliance and grants immunity to agencies that follow the Attorney General's advice, while prohibiting the Attorney General's internal work papers from being disclosed as public records.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally recognizes the KTEN Weather Team for their accurate and timely coverage of the severe tornado outbreak that struck south-central Oklahoma on April 27-28, 2024. The bill highlights how the team's use of advanced technology, such as geotargeted mobile app alerts, helped residents seek shelter and prevented further loss of life during the event. It also notes the team's ongoing support in covering relief efforts for affected communities like Sulphur and Holdenville. Finally, the resolution directs that a copy of this recognition be sent to KTEN-TV.

Maddy summarySB 1670 modifies Oklahoma's Pharmacy Audit Integrity Act to update how pharmacy benefits managers and other entities conduct audits of pharmacy records. The bill requires auditors to provide at least two weeks' notice before most audits and thirty days for wholesale purchase audits, while also mandating that audits be conducted fairly and without disrupting patient care. Key provisions include exempting pharmacies from financial penalties for innocent clerical errors and requiring auditors to apply identical standards to all similarly situated pharmacies. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that reimbursement recoupments cannot include dispensing fees or drug costs unless there is proof that the prescription was never dispensed or authorized.

Maddy summaryThis Oklahoma law establishes rules for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to ensure fair treatment of pharmacies and patients. It requires PBMs to pay pharmacies the same reimbursement rates they pay to their own affiliated pharmacies and prohibits charging fees for basic services like claim processing or network enrollment. The bill also bans deceptive advertising, restricts retroactive claim denials, and forbids the use of spread pricing, which charges plans more than the amount paid to pharmacies. Additionally, PBMs cannot deny network participation based on an employee's probationary status with the state pharmacy board.