Oklahoma must take drastic steps to improve its dismal ranking in the number of residents who have no health insurance, state Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said Thursday during her agency’s Summit on the High Cost of Health Insurance. Barring a law requiring the purchase of health insurance, which Holland concedes would be a political long shot, "inducements” that penalize those who fail to insure themselves would help, she said.
Kim Holland Insurance commissioner
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Among the possible inducements Holland proposed was forfeiture of football season tickets to University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University games, forfeiture of lottery or gaming winnings, loss of state income tax deductions or licenses to drive, hunt or fish.
"None of those are very pleasant, but there needs to be a consequence,” Holland said.
A survey this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one-third of Oklahomans have no health coverage, the highest rate of uninsured residents in the nation. A telephone survey released by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority found that about 16.7 percent of Oklahomans — or 579,036 residents — lack health insurance.
Uncompensated medical coverage in Oklahoma totals nearly $1 billion, Holland said.
Holland said policymakers need courage to enact major changes to boost the state’s poor standing for health care coverage of its residents.
State Rep. Kris Steele, co-chair of the House Health Care Reform Task Force, said requiring Oklahomans to purchase health insurance is not a popular stance among lawmakers.
"I believe the place to start is to create a situation within our state that people are without excuse for not having health insurance,” Steele said. "Once we get to the point where people are without excuse, then we create the incentives.”
Those incentives would include rewarding those who obtain insurance and punishing those who don’t, said Steele, R-Shawnee.
"You need the carrot and the stick,” he said.
Holland said the use of inducements, such as revoking in-state tuition discounts for uninsured Oklahomans, would send a message. "We have developed this culture over the years that some don’t feel like they have to pay their medical bills,” she said.
Insure Oklahoma, which uses state and federal money to help small businesses get health insurance for employees, probably is the best vehicle to make health care coverage more accessible, she said.
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cannot screen drugs before they are introduced to the public AND our food is tainted by the producers and is douced with radiation when it comes from other countries. We are now in the worst financial status in history and she wants to penalize those who do not have health insurance. What next! Are you going to punish those who lose their jobs, home and WHOW! Are we going to have to beg for the food, gas and water. I do not know what country this woman comes from, surly it is not the U.S.A!
This woman looks like she needs brain surgery! I am sure that since she is employed by the taxpayers of this state she does not have to pay the outragious cost of health insurance. If she wants to take anything away from anyone start with the insurance companies, or find an insurance company that will give full state coverage for everybody and lower the cost straight aboard. Her comments, whether joking or not is a communistic attitude and this country will not stand for it! She needs to be fired and replaced with someone who has better thinking. Shame on you madam for suggesting that everyone wants to do without health insurance in this country, especially when FDA
And what in the heck is that thing growing off that womans' face? If you all are lucky, maybe it will grow and eat her and you won't have to worry about her tyrant ways! LOL LOL LOL
Wow! You all must be a liberal state! It truly stinks that we have a government that has become such a bully! Americans have placed themselves in the position of being totally overrun by their own government, and I think that is a travesty, but laziness and fear never brought any society to the point of self-sufficiency. I think it is horrible and cruel to ever threaten a person with taking away their license...oh I forgot its a privilege. No! a privilege is taking taxes from poor people and using it to make sure rich fatcats gets to live high on the hog and take nice luxury vacations! Get a clue folks and decide what is most important!
The reason Oklahoma ranks so very low in it's percentage of insured residents is because Oklahoma is known for having some of the lowest paid workers in the nation.
Requiring people who can barely pay their utilities each month to buy health insurance with copays so high they can never afford to use it anyway is the most draconian and sadistic bit of legislation for corporate profit ever devised.
My health insurance is almost useless requiring a $1500 minimum before it even goes into effect.
I can't imagine how a "paycheck to paycheck" laborer could afford $400 per month for insurance and then another $1500 to even use it while making $1800-$2200 per month after taxes.
This hag has no concept of reality and the burden on Oklahoma Hospitals is a direct result of her stingy corporate buddies freezing wages for laborers for 20 years.Every poor person I know wishes they could afford insurance but if they make less than $14 per hour(like 1/2 of Oklahoma's workers) they are dreaming.
Sounds like Kim Holland is the Massah of the Oklahoma Plantation.
You'd better work hard for her. If she has to get up from her lobster and caviar dinner party, and come down to the slave quarters, some of you might be sorry.
Work hard and she might let you suck on the shells.
Thank you Floyd. You are so sweet. But I've already taken care of the vehicle issue. I managed to find a used Explorer I could afford that's in excellent condition and has wheel chair brackets in the back. All I need to get now is a portable ramp and my daughter will be set. I should be able to get that next month. I've never played the lottery either; well, unless you want to call waking up every day these days a form of lottery.
Floyd, I guess I should apologize to you. It's not you I'm so upset with. It's the people that seem to think Kim Holland's idea is good. It's not a good idea, it's a horrible idea.
Floyd, it's just so frustrating. The government just keeps feeding this garbage to people and they just keep eating it up. They don't even seem to care how many honest, hard working people could be destroyed by enacting this punishment for not having what they can't get.
I have a few questions for those folks that are so convinced that only the lazy, and irresponsible don’t have health insurance.
Do you work for a company that hires people through pimp (temp) agencies because they don't want to have to provide benefits to new or temporary employees?
Does it matter to you that almost none of those pimp (temp) agencies offer health care insurance to their new and temporary employees?
How many of you work for a company that intentionally hires part time employees to start out and tells them they’ll be eligible for benefits once they're working full time, but then never give them more than 35 hours a week so they can avoid providing the elusive benefits?
Now, try to imagine yourselves in this situation. Suppose your 21 year old daughter had an accident that required multiple surgeries, including heart, lung and brain surgery followed up with a few years of therapy to recover. Then suppose after the first surgery your employer suddenly decided to lay you off and since your particular employer is exempt from the Family Medical Leave Act, he can do it? Are you even aware of how many businesses and government agencies don’t have to honor the Family and Medical Leave Act?
Finally, suppose while in the process of dealing with all this other trauma, some ignorant bureaucrat with a Socialist agenda and control issues decides she might just refuse to let you renew your driver’s license because you are now without insurance and it doesn’t matter that you’ve always paid your medical bills. Now, you have a disabled daughter to take care of for at least another year before you can go back to work but if she has her way you’ll have no way to get a job because you won’t have a driver’s license either. This is my situation but the others that I mentioned are a LOT more common than most of you could imagine. I know people in every one of those situations and they do not spend their hard earned money on wasteful things like season football or lottery tickets.
T.A. If BERT has read your comments as long as I have I believe he would have the same respect for you that I have I know a lot of people jump on you but I think you fit in with BERT, Sallie, Jack, others, and myself. "Don't hate us(that includes YOU) because we try to be beautiful inside."
Floyd, the problem is that people like Bert seem to think my situation is the exception to the rule and therefore this sort of government intrusion is a good thing; and that is simply not true. There are far more people in my position than people like Bert could possibly lower themselves to realize.
T.A. I've read enough of your writing to feel you and BERT are close in agreement. You do NOT fit in the profile of the irresponsible people he describes who buy lottery tickets or go to the casinos as soon as they get a few bucks, nor are you the type who would buy a season ticket to anything but a church
Bert, you have no clue what you're talking about. You just go on believing the tripe that the Marxist/Socialists in our government feed to the press and it feeds to you. They mention OU/OSU tickets or lottery tickets and you automatically assume that everyone who doesn't have health care coverage is wasting their money on this frivolous crap. Well, excuse me but that is a patent lie intended to make silly people believe there is justification for punishing certain segments of our society. I’m more inclined to believe that a large portion of that $1 billion may well be the result of a combination of late or incorrect billing by health care providers and incorrect processing of claims by insurance companies. And I have no doubt that if the health care system is in danger of collapse it’s more the result of wastefully spending by the bureaucrats inside the industry, not because a small percentage of a population couldn’t afford to pay the ridiculous bill they were handed so one more specialist could buy himself a car that cost more than their home.
Kim Holland looks like she stepped right out of the Liberal Arts building at OU. She can keep dreaming about about Communism, because it isn't happening here.
What right do these people have to punish the public who can't afford or do not want health insurance? It is unbelievable. There are plenty of people out there who don't get sick, due to good diet and regular exercise. Don't those people have the right to live without paying a continual check out for a service that they do not need? This country is supposed to be free - not run by corporations, or the government.
Steven i said that those that truely need help shhould be helped, But basically I stand behind what I said. Times are hard? The cafes are full . Health care? Give me my cars, cell phones. boats,computers with e mail accounts and eating out all the time or having the meal delivered in from some pizza maker. Prorities . Who cares? Give me my OU tickets that are very costly. The taxpayers will pay for my health care. And Steven I am beyond 40. And most of mmy generation felt we should have some self responsibility and self respect. We did not think we were owed anything by the taxpayers. We felt our families were our responsibility not some one elses. And No Steven this will not die when I do as I have 2 kids and several grandsons that feel as I do and care for themselves. They do not feel they must be cared for by some branch of the government.
Rob, OKC...I advocate involvement almost daily on postings, but as Stephen, Ada told me once, that most readers use these sites as a hobby. While our postings may look good in print they accomplish nothing, but arm chair politics are much easier than involvement.
Quite often I copy and paste postings and forward them to local, state and federal government. Sometimes I get a response, sometimes I don't but that does not stop me from protesting or thanking them when they do something beneficial (this is rare).
Holland and Morrissete are not simply idiots. They are dangerous as they actually believe this is what we need regardless of violations to our civil rights. God and heaven save us from those who say "I am doing this for your own good".
Yes, I fully intend to forward this to all those who say they "represent" me. ppppfffftttt
To everybody who does not like what thuis lady is saying:
Don't just comment about it - call, write or email your state legislator RIGHT NOW and tell them you don't want the government penalizing anyone for not buying health insurance.
Making your own decisions about your life is a RIGHT not an excuse!
Hey Troy I was being facetious. In school they teach you to read the entire question before you answer. Give it a shot next time. Oh Bert from Henryetta. Its nice to know that you are in your 40s and your way of thinking will be gone with your generation. I’ve worked in a hospital for 7 years now and never have I seen an uninsured person come in that was in a boat accident. Do you really believe that a lot of uninsured are living the life style of the rich and famous? No, they are poor and are making decisions like should we have heat this month or food. Go listen to Michael Savage Bert because soon that way of thinking will be gone.
Jonbonjovy - you need to get your fact straight - she is a Democrat.
Holland Goes To Max For Democrats
State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland has gone to the max to help build a strong state Democratic Party, becoming only the second statewide Democratic office holder to donate $5,000.00 to party coffers.
Holland, who was appointed by Gov. Brad Henry less than a year ago, joins long-time Democratic Party supporter Attorney General Drew Edmondson as the only two statewide elected Democrats to make a maximum donation this year.
"I am proud to be a Democrat and I want our party to be a strong, viable force in changing Oklahoma for the better," Holland said. "If I don’t do all that I can to help the party and other Democrats, how can I ask others to do it?"
Holland has also started promoting the party’s "1 In A Million" campaign to boost small donor contributions by encouraging people to take part in the effort at each of her events, speeches and other political gatherings.
Potential penalties
• No personal exemption on state income tax.
• No OU, OSU season football tickets.
• No hunting or fishing license.
• No driver’s license.
• No homestead exemption.
• No in-state tuition discount.
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Requiring people who can barely pay their utilities each month to buy health insurance with copays so high they can never afford to use it anyway is the most draconian and sadistic bit of legislation for corporate profit ever devised.
My health insurance is almost useless requiring a $1500 minimum before it even goes into effect.
I can't imagine how a "paycheck to paycheck" laborer could afford $400 per month for insurance and then another $1500 to even use it while making $1800-$2200 per month after taxes.
This hag has no concept of reality and the burden on Oklahoma Hospitals is a direct result of her stingy corporate buddies freezing wages for laborers for 20 years.Every poor person I know wishes they could afford insurance but if they make less than $14 per hour(like 1/2 of Oklahoma's workers) they are dreaming.
You'd better work hard for her. If she has to get up from her lobster and caviar dinner party, and come down to the slave quarters, some of you might be sorry.
Work hard and she might let you suck on the shells.
Do you work for a company that hires people through pimp (temp) agencies because they don't want to have to provide benefits to new or temporary employees?
Does it matter to you that almost none of those pimp (temp) agencies offer health care insurance to their new and temporary employees?
How many of you work for a company that intentionally hires part time employees to start out and tells them they’ll be eligible for benefits once they're working full time, but then never give them more than 35 hours a week so they can avoid providing the elusive benefits?
Now, try to imagine yourselves in this situation. Suppose your 21 year old daughter had an accident that required multiple surgeries, including heart, lung and brain surgery followed up with a few years of therapy to recover. Then suppose after the first surgery your employer suddenly decided to lay you off and since your particular employer is exempt from the Family Medical Leave Act, he can do it? Are you even aware of how many businesses and government agencies don’t have to honor the Family and Medical Leave Act?
Finally, suppose while in the process of dealing with all this other trauma, some ignorant bureaucrat with a Socialist agenda and control issues decides she might just refuse to let you renew your driver’s license because you are now without insurance and it doesn’t matter that you’ve always paid your medical bills. Now, you have a disabled daughter to take care of for at least another year before you can go back to work but if she has her way you’ll have no way to get a job because you won’t have a driver’s license either. This is my situation but the others that I mentioned are a LOT more common than most of you could imagine. I know people in every one of those situations and they do not spend their hard earned money on wasteful things like season football or lottery tickets.
Quite often I copy and paste postings and forward them to local, state and federal government. Sometimes I get a response, sometimes I don't but that does not stop me from protesting or thanking them when they do something beneficial (this is rare).
Holland and Morrissete are not simply idiots. They are dangerous as they actually believe this is what we need regardless of violations to our civil rights. God and heaven save us from those who say "I am doing this for your own good".
Yes, I fully intend to forward this to all those who say they "represent" me. ppppfffftttt
Don't just comment about it - call, write or email your state legislator RIGHT NOW and tell them you don't want the government penalizing anyone for not buying health insurance.
Making your own decisions about your life is a RIGHT not an excuse!
Oh Please, don't take my beloved Sooner tickets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holland Goes To Max For Democrats
State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland has gone to the max to help build a strong state Democratic Party, becoming only the second statewide Democratic office holder to donate $5,000.00 to party coffers.
Holland, who was appointed by Gov. Brad Henry less than a year ago, joins long-time Democratic Party supporter Attorney General Drew Edmondson as the only two statewide elected Democrats to make a maximum donation this year.
"I am proud to be a Democrat and I want our party to be a strong, viable force in changing Oklahoma for the better," Holland said. "If I don’t do all that I can to help the party and other Democrats, how can I ask others to do it?"
Holland has also started promoting the party’s "1 In A Million" campaign to boost small donor contributions by encouraging people to take part in the effort at each of her events, speeches and other political gatherings.
PJ -- OKC