Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-57.1: Intent of Legislature

Adequate health care is a basic human right which should be

available to all Oklahomans. Rapidly increasing health care costs

threaten to make such care unaffordable to many citizens.

Unreimbursed health care services provided to indigent persons cause

the cost of services to paying patients to increase in a manner

unrelated to the actual cost of services delivered. It is therefore

the intent of the Oklahoma Legislature to develop a system of health

care delivery that ensures fair and adequate access for all

Oklahomans. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that this

system promote the utilization of the most cost-effective health

care services including, but not limited to, health care education

and prevention and seek to utilize the most cost-effective

administrative policies and procedures.