Oklahoma Supreme Court rules against new Managed Care plan

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against the state’s new Managed Care plan called SoonerSelect.

The program was set to start in October and would have been run by private companies. The court, however, voted 6-3 against Managed Care and said it needs approval from lawmakers to move forward.

Several medical groups sued to stop Sooner Select on the grounds that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority overstepped its bounds by outsourcing the state’s Medicaid program following the passage of State Question 802.

“We are pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling, and we recognize the heart of this issue is much larger than Managed Care,” Dr. Mary Clarke, the president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said in a news release. “It’s about ensuring that state agencies follow the law when spending Oklahoma’s tax dollars. Today’s ruling represents an important victory for transparency in government and Oklahoma taxpayers.”