A. The Oklahoma Legislature finds that care of medically indigent persons and the needs of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (Tulsa) will be enhanced through the establishment of the Community Hospitals Authority. The purpose of the Community Hospitals Authority is to provide maximum utilization and efficient administration in order to deliver health care services to medically indigent persons and to promote the teaching and training of physicians.
B. The Community Hospitals Authority shall:
1. Support the missions of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (Tulsa) with regard to:
2. Act as a vehicle for securing funding that is in addition to existing state Medicaid Program appropriated funding for education and indigent care and graduate medical education; provided, however, under no circumstance shall funds secured pursuant to this provision be used to supplant such existing state Medicaid Program appropriated funding; and
3. Coordinate the delivery and efficiency of medical service across Northeast Oklahoma including, but not limited to, all counties located totally or partly in the Tulsa Metropolitan Area.
C. The Authority may contract for indigent care services with participating health care systems.
D. In the event the Legislature enacts a statewide program to reimburse hospitals for the cost, or a portion thereof, of providing indigent health care, the Legislature shall ensure that such reimbursement shall be made to all hospitals providing indigent care within the state.
Added by Laws 2002, c. 374, § 5, eff. July 1, 2002. Amended by Laws 2003, c. 412, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2005, c. 410, § 2, eff. July 1, 2005.