Medicaid reimbursements for emergency care for undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma increase 154% in three years

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority paid health care providers $9.7 million to treat 4,450 undocumented immigrants under Medicaid's Alien Emergency Services Program in the fiscal year that ended June 30, compared with $3.8 million to treat 2,054 people in 2003, the Daily Oklahoman reports.

The Alien Emergency Services Program reimburses providers for acute care provided to uninsured, undocumented immigrants.

Charles Brodt, deputy director of OHCA, said two factors contributed to the increase: Medicaid reimbursement rates have risen, and providers are doing a better job of obtaining patient information needed to file Medicaid claims.

The majority of the claims paid through the Alien Emergency Services Program in Oklahoma are for labor and delivery costs.

Data for fiscal year 2006 are not yet available, but in 2005, 84% of claims paid under the program were for labor and delivery services, according to OHCA spokesperson Jo Kilgore.

Brodt said the program helps "offset a loss that these health care facilities and providers face" and also protects providers from liability concerns that could arise if they refuse care (Gibbs Robinson, Daily Oklahoman, 8/21).