In 2022 alone, Youth Villages has helped more than 32,000 young people across the country. As a nationally recognized leader in the field of children’s mental and behavioral health, Youth Villages delivers services with the goal of helping children and their families overcome social, economic, and health challenges and achieve lasting change for generations to come.    Tune in to this week’s episode to hear our conversation with Youth Villages as we discuss the impact Medicaid reform is bringing to our state and how it will positively impact Oklahoma’s children and young adults by addressing and improving long-term health outcomes.

Oklahomans are fortunate to have networks of physicians and medical providers working every day to deliver quality care and improve our state’s health outcomes.    In this Conversations On Care episode, Dr. Senthil Raju with Spectrum Healthcare Solutions discusses the positive impact first-generation Americans are making in Oklahoma’s medical community and their commitment to innovate to improve transitional care and increase access to health care services for our state’s rural and vulnerable populations.

Every day nearly 584,000 Oklahomans face food insecurity and about 200,000 of those individuals are children. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma serves 53 counties and more than 1,300 community partners to combat food insecurity.    This is critical to addressing health outcomes in Oklahoma, as food security is a key social determinant of health that influences overall quality of life.    In this episode, Stacy Dykstra – Chief Executive Officer – and Keeley White – Director of Community Health Programs – from the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma offer an in-depth look at the role food insecurity plays in overall health outcomes in our state and discuss how the nonprofit leverages partnerships with local organizations to create greater access to nutritional food for Oklahomans.

Representative Kevin Wallace – Chairman of the House Appropriations & Budget Committee – and Representative Marcus McEntire – Chairman of the Sub Appropriations of Health & Budget Committee – are back for part two!   Tune in to hear more about SB 1396 or the SHOPP (Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program) bill and why it will be a driving force in addressing social determinants of health for all Oklahomans as the state implements Medicaid reform.

The Oklahoma Legislature’s continued commitment to fiscal responsibility was at the forefront this past legislative session when legislators advanced SB 1337 and SB 1396, implementing historic changes to the state's health care system.   In this episode, Representative Kevin Wallace – Chairman of the House Appropriations & Budget Committee – and Representative Marcus McEntire – Chairman of the Sub Appropriations of Health & Budget Committee – break down the budget process for Medicaid reform and explain why moving to a value-based system of care will provide greater budget predictability for both the state and Oklahomans.

Oklahoma’s outdated fee-for-service health care model has failed to deliver the results our state and people need. With around 30% of the population  – more than 1.2 million Oklahomans – currently depending on Medicaid for health care coverage, Oklahoma is now making changes to reward providers for delivering value-based care and outcomes instead of the number of services.    Timothy Pehrson, President and CEO of INTEGRIS Health, shares how this Medicaid reform will be transformational for Oklahoma by incentivizing health care providers to shift their mindset from focusing on reactive services to delivering forward-thinking treatment that will improve total health outcomes and promote healthier living for generations to come.

With the recent passage of Medicaid reform, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority is now preparing to implement one of the most important health care transformations in state history. By transitioning to a public-private partnership model, Oklahoma will improve health outcomes and increase access to quality healthcare for SoonerCare members while achieving budget predictability.   In this episode of Conversations on Care, State Medicaid Director Traylor Rains delves into how Medicaid reform will change the way Oklahoma’s most vulnerable receive health care services and empower the state to lead the nation in health outcomes.

Each year, efforts to implement Medicaid transformation have gone in circles without a resolution. But this legislative session, the conversation was different.   In this episode of Conversations on Care, Oklahoma Senator Greg McCortney, senate majority floor leader and author of SB 1337, shares more about the collaborative journey to deliver historic Medicaid reform in Oklahoma. Tune in to hear how, after years of work, Oklahoma’s leaders were able to come together this legislative session to deliver lasting solutions for our state and people.

Oklahoma is currently experiencing a historic moment with the implementation of Medicaid reform across the state.   In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Corbett – Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Mental Health and CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority – to explore how the transition to Medicaid will allow OHCA to bridge the gap between health outcomes and care management for Oklahoma’s Medicaid recipients.   Tune in to learn more about Secretary Corbett and OHCA’s vision to deliver quality, affordable health care to Oklahomans and improve health outcomes across the state.    Learn more: https://oklahoma.gov/ohca www.okhealthplans.org

Welcome to Conversations on Care! I’m Haley Faulkenberry, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Health Plans, a coalition dedicated to improving the health of Oklahomans through affordable, high-quality health care. I am so excited to kick off this next series in our Conversations on Care podcast, where we explore the ins and outs of Oklahoma’s historic Medicaid transformation. Grab your cup of coffee and join me on Tuesday mornings as we dig deeper into discussions on how Medicaid reform will set Oklahoma on a path to lead the nation in health outcomes and create a healthier future for all Oklahomans.

Oklahoma is home to some of the worst health outcome rankings in the country, driven in part by factors outside of health care such as food insecurity and unstable housing. Fortunately, hundreds of local nonprofits across the state are working to address the core issues that lead to poor health outcomes.   Brooke Townsend, director of community affairs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, shares how social factors influence overall health outcomes and how BCBSOK partners with community organizations to help enhance the health and well-being of Oklahomans.

On average, approximately 75,000 to 85,000 Oklahomans on SoonerCare receive mental health or substance use services every month.     In this episode, Traylor Rains with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Heath Hayes with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services share how the two state agencies partner to provide mental and behavioral health care for Oklahomans and how the state can improve health outcomes by enhancing access to care.

Nearly one-third of Oklahomans live in rural communities, yet on average rural residents experience worse health outcomes than their urban neighbors.   Dr. Todd Hoffman, chief medical officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and native of rural Oklahoma, explores the obstacles in delivering care to rural Oklahomans and how the state can make progress toward improving health outcomes in rural communities.

More than 1.2 million Oklahomans – 30% of the population – currently depend on Medicaid for health care coverage. But because of Oklahoma’s fee-for-service delivery model, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority often is limited in its ability to address and improve poor health outcomes in SoonerCare members.   In this episode, OHCA Chief of Staff Ellen Buettner offers an in-depth look at the challenges facing the agency in its efforts to provide health care coverage and how Medicaid reform could impact the lives of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable populations.

All too often, Oklahomans on Medicaid must wrestle with poor health because of factors outside of traditional health care such as food insecurity or a lack of transportation.   In this episode, Dr. Keisia Sobers-Butler, R.N. – vice president of population health and clinical operations at Oklahoma Complete Health – couples her personal encounters with complex health needs and her professional experience in care coordination as she shares how Medicaid managed care programs help address the core issues causing poor health outcomes in Oklahomans on SoonerCare.

Each year, thousands of Oklahomans experience mental and behavioral illnesses, which have a direct impact on their overall health and well-being. But care for mental and physical health are often isolated and disconnected.   Dr. Doug Nemecek – a psychiatrist and Cigna’s chief medical officer for behavioral health – shares the value of integrating mental and physical health care and explains how health plans are spearheading efforts to expand access to behavioral care to achieve greater health outcomes.

Oklahoma has ranked near-last in health outcomes for decades, more than a quarter of the state’s population relies on Medicaid for health care, and our current delivery system isn’t adequately equipped to address the underlying issues leading to poor health.    But it doesn’t have to be that way. Joseph Fairbanks, a vice president at Humana and native Oklahoman, brings his years of health care policy experience to a discussion on how reforming Medicaid through managed care can empower Oklahomans to live healthier, fuller lives.

Achieving quality health outcomes requires more than only treating symptoms in a hospital or doctor’s office, but also addressing the social barriers to care that routinely face many Oklahomans.    With more than three decades as a physician, a health care administrator and a former Medicaid director, Dr. Lynn Mitchell has brought her expertise to Oklahoma Complete Health where she aims to revolutionize health care for Oklahomans. Listen in to hear Dr. Mitchell’s perspective on how health plans are uniquely positioned to deliver care that can help Oklahoma lead the nation in health outcomes.

Oklahomans are freed to live happier and healthier lives when they can access needed preventive health care services. But navigating the health care system alone can be tricky. In this episode, we sit down with Ricky Trussell – a community outreach specialist with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma – to explore the barriers Oklahomans face when accessing care and how he helps bridge the gap between Oklahomans and the care they need. Tune in to learn more about Ricky’s passion for helping connect Oklahomans in all 77 counties with quality, affordable health care. Learn more: www.bcbsok.com  www.okhealthplans.org

How can Oklahoma improve health outcomes and create a brighter future for its residents? The OAHP Conversations on Care podcast will explore the efforts of Oklahoma’s health coverage providers to deliver better care and healthier lives for all Oklahomans. Tune in each week to hear the voices of the health care professionals working tirelessly to provide Oklahomans with affordable access to quality health care.