Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-1320: Employment of administrator, director of internal audit,

attorneys, and other personnel - Service contracts.

A. For purposes of administering the Oklahoma Employees

Insurance and Benefits Act, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the

Oklahoma Health Care Authority is authorized to hire and appoint an

Administrator who shall be in the unclassified service and shall

serve at the pleasure of the CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care

Authority.

B. The CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority may hire a

director of internal audit and one attorney licensed to practice law

in this state. The attorney hired by the Oklahoma Employees

Insurance and Benefits Board shall have not less than five (5) years

of experience in matters related to the insurance industry. The CEO

shall directly supervise the duties of the director of internal

audit, and shall not delegate the supervision to the Administrator

or any other employee. In addition to duties assigned by the CEO,

the director of internal audit is authorized to audit all records of

health providers and pharmacists who enter into any contract with

the Board in order to ensure compliance with said contract

provisions.

The CEO shall employ such persons as are necessary to administer

the provisions of the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Act,

the State Employees Flexible Benefits Act and the State Employees

Disability Program Act. The CEO may employ a maximum of two

attorneys for purposes of administering the Oklahoma Employees

Insurance and Benefits Act. The Administrator or one of the deputy

administrators shall have not less than seven (7) years of group

health insurance administration experience on a senior managerial

level.

C. The CEO shall not contract for private legal counsel except

for extraordinary situations other than normal day to day

situations, and when approved by the Attorney General. The CEO may

contract with a nonemployee consulting actuary, a nonemployee

medical consultant and a nonemployee dental consultant subject to

competitive bid at least every three (3) years. The CEO may

contract with health care providers for a level of reimbursement for

the payment of claims incurred by the plan participants. The CEO

may at its request use the services of the Office of the Attorney

General and the actuarial services of any actuary employed by the

Insurance Commissioner and may also seek the advice and counsel of

the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Oklahoma or any employee

of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.