Health Insurance Options for Oklahoma

According to healthinsurance.org, approximately 84 percent of Oklahoma residents have health insurance coverage thanks to the state's wide availability of health insurance options. The remaining residents without coverage can find health insurance benefits through both public and private insurance sources.

Medicaid

• SoonerCare is Oklahoma's state and federally-funded Medicaid program that provides medical benefits to low-income and medically needy families and individuals. SoonerCare is free to those who qualify and provides comprehensive health benefits for a variety of services from participating health care providers. With the exception of certain medically needy individuals, the state determines eligibility for the program according to household size and income. For example, in 2011, a pregnant woman in a household of four may qualify for Medicaid with an annual household income of $41,348 or less.

Children

• Children under age 19 who live in households with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit may qualify for health insurance through the Oklahoma Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. The insurance is an extension of Medicaid and as of December 2009, more than 71,000 Oklahoma children had insurance through CHIP. The CHIP program provides comprehensive health, dental and vision benefits at free or reduced premiums according to household size and income.

Private Health Insurance

• You can find private health insurance in Oklahoma through individually purchased policies or group insurance plans offered through an association or employer. Federal regulations from The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as well as The Affordable Care Act apply to private health plans in Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Insurance Department processes and investigates consumer complaints against health insurance companies that violate federal guidelines.

People with Pre-Existing Conditions

• Unlike many other U.S. states that participate in the federal pre-existing condition insurance pool, or PCIP, Oklahoma provides residents with a state-organized PCIP that provides health benefits to those who cannot find coverage elsewhere due to an existing medical condition. Known as the Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool, the insurance offered through the pool as of 2011 comes with a $2,000 annual deductible, an out-of-pocket limit of $5,950 and premiums as low as $121 per month. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma insures the policyholders, but to qualify, applicants must have a pre-existing medical condition, live in Oklahoma legally and have been uninsured for at least six months prior to applying for coverage under the state PCIP.