Oklahoma Senator: State Employee Health Plan will Send $75M to New Jersey

Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, Oklahoma school teachers and state employees using HealthChoice for insurance benefits will be forced to fill their prescriptions through an out-of-state mail order pharmacy, according to state Sen. Patrick Anderson.

The bureaucratic decision will result in the loss of approximately $75 million from the Oklahoma economy to New Jersey, says Anderson, a Republican from Enid.

Anderson says the new prescription plan was not approved by the governor or the legislature – instead it is the result of an agreement reached in August between a pharmaceutical company and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB).

Lawmakers, teachers and state employees were given no notice of this proposed change or comparison of options — simply a pronouncement that the new plan would go into effect on Jan. 1, Anderson says.

Anderson says the plan would have a terrible economic impact on locally-owned pharmacies around the state.

“In many of the small communities that I represent the local school is the largest employer – and thus the largest customer base of the local pharmacy,” he said in a statement released by the Senate. “By telling these school teachers that they cannot use their local pharmacy, this plan eliminates the customer base of these local pharmacies and will force these pharmacies to lay off employees and possibly even close their doors. That, in turn, impacts the Oklahoma economy as a whole and it will be felt in more places than just local pharmacies. Removing $75 million from the Oklahoma economy will be felt in local restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers.”

Anderson explained OSEEGIB is a part of the Office of State Finance, an executive agency of the state of Oklahoma. He says that’s the reason he called on Gov. Mary Fallin to intervene and prevent the plan from going into effect.

Source: Oklahoma Senate

Topics New Jersey Oklahoma