Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-5009: Administration of Oklahoma Medicaid Program

A. On and after January 1, 1995, the Oklahoma Health Care

Authority shall be the designated state agency for the

administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program.

1. The Authority shall contract with the Department of Human

Services for the determination of Medicaid eligibility and other

administrative or operational functions related to the Oklahoma

Medicaid Program as necessary and appropriate.

2. To the extent possible and appropriate, upon the transfer of

the administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program, the Authority

shall employ the personnel of the Medical Services Division of the

Department of Human Services.

3. The Department of Human Services and the Authority shall

jointly prepare a transition plan for the transfer of the

administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program to the Authority.

The transition plan shall include provisions for the retraining and

reassignment of employees of the Department of Human Services

affected by the transfer. The transition plan shall be submitted to

the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the

Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before January 1,

1995.

B. In order to provide adequate funding for the unique training

and research purposes associated with the demonstration program

conducted by the entity described in paragraph 7 of subsection B of

Section 6201 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and to provide

services to persons without regard to their ability to pay, the

Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall analyze the feasibility of

establishing a Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing

facilities to provide a separate Medicaid payment rate sufficient to

cover all costs allowable under Medicare principles of reimbursement

for the facility to be constructed or operated, or constructed and

operated, by the organization described in paragraph 7 of subsection

B of Section 6201 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.