More than 300,000 Oklahomans could be added to the state's Medicaid program under the news health insurance reform bill, expanding the current program 40%.
Currently, 96, 891 people are enrolled in Medicaid in Tulsa County, but the number is expected to increase.
The state could absorb an estimated cost of $128 million more each year, over the next 10 years, according to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
Congresswoman Mary Fallin told Fox 23 the state is already experiencing cuts and the state will have to tap into other cash sources to fund additional Medicaid services.
"We're already experiencing 18-25% decreases and our projected revenue coming in for operation of the state budget," Fallin said. "Increasing the costs for health care for the under insured and uninsured is an important undertaking at the expense of the state."
The federal government now pays an average of 57 percent - for Medicaid costs - and states pick up the rest.
However, the new bill says the government would pay 91 percent, to cover Medicaid costs, a $425 billion bill for the next 10 years. This means states would have to come up with about $34 billion, for Oklahoma it amounts to $1.3 billion.
"The state of Oklahoma will not be able to absorb the new cost for the expansion of Medicaid," Fallin said. "The state is considering looking into other cash sources."
"To provide these services, they're going to be cutbacks in health care services to everyone on the state's plan," Dr. William Yarbrough, OU Physician. "It will increase people seeking medical care and put some stress on the system."
