Senator Adelson Comments on 10th Circuit’s Reversal in Lawsuit Against State Medicaid Agency

Statement by Senator Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa

"Nothing as arbitrary as the condition of a child's birth ought to determine that child's access to healthcare. Wednesday's federal appellate court decision has no bearing on the responsibility of the Oklahoma Legislature to fulfill our social obligations to kids.
"I look forward to working with all legislators to strengthen healthcare access for the underserved, and I am grateful for the leadership, Democrat and Republican alike, that has made such great strides in the health arena these last two years. In the words of Charles Horace Mayo, '[i]t is a poor government that does not recognize that the prolonged life, health and happiness of its people are its greatest asset.'"

Editor’s Note: On Wednesday the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver reversed a Tulsa federal court's finding that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority violated the federal Medicaid act by failing to provide medical assistance with reasonable promptness and by failing to ensure equal access to care for Medicaid recipients commensurate with the general population. Senator Adelson is the Co-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Health and Social Service, the body which oversees Oklahoma’s Medicaid budget.