Medicaid expansion signature drive comes to Enid Saturday

Aug. 9--ENID, Okla. -- The Yes on 802 initiative to get Medicaid expansion onto a state ballot will host a training session and signature drive in Enid on Saturday, one of seven regional "Day of Action" events throughout the state.

In addition to Enid, Yes on 802 is training and mobilizing volunteers Saturday to collect signatures for the ballot drive in Ardmore, Duncan, McAlester, Miami, Okla­homa City and Tulsa.

"We want to train as many people to collect signatures as want to be trained," said Amber England, Yes on 802 media spokesperson. "This is a fight to put Oklahomans first, and it only makes sense for people in cities and towns all across our state to lead the way."

The Enid event will begin at 9 a.m. at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 518 W. Randolph.

England said volunteers will be trained from 9-10 a.m. on how to circulate the petition and gain valid signatures, and then will be dispersed to collect signatures until about noon. People who want to sign a petition also can stop by the event during those hours.

England said this initial training is meant to spur ongoing signature collections in the community.

"We're doing this as a way to train folks, so they can collect signatures in and around Northwest Oklahoma, and so they have the chance to turn in signatures that same day," England said.

She said the ballot initiative should be pressing for people in Northwest Oklahoma, as not taking Medicaid expansion has squeezed finances for rural hospitals. Eight have declared bankruptcy since 2016, she said, and six rural hospitals in the state have closed.

"People don't want to see their hospitals close," England said, "and they understand Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma is a way to save our rural hospitals."

Yes on 802 organizers are hoping the promise of expanded coverage for low-income residents, in a state where about one in six people live below the poverty line, will translate into signatures for the ballot petition.

"If approved by voters, Medicaid expansion would help meet the health care needs of rural residents and Oklahomans who have lower-paying jobs that don't come with insurance," according to a Yes on 802 press release. "The state question would bring more than a billion of our tax dollars back from Washington every year to deliver health care for nearly 200,000 Oklahomans, help keep rural hospitals open, and create thousands of jobs."

While Yes on 802 works to get Medicaid expansion on a ballot in 2020, a bipartisan working group has been formed in the Legislature to develop a plan to increase health care and insurance coverage.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said in a July 29 statement the health care group would bring everyone together -- patients, policy experts, providers, insurers, medical facilities and state officials.

"Health care is a very complex issue, and there is no cookie-cutter approach that is going to drive down costs, improve care and increase access," McCall said. "It is going to take a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that considers not just what is wrong with the system, but also what is working, and also what has worked and not worked in other states."

He said the discussion must "include everything, not just Medicaid expansion."

State Rep. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan, who is co-chairing the working group, told CNHI Oklahoma in July the ballot measure "certainly acts as leverage" for the Legislature.

"With the ballot initiative, the political climate is probably more receptive than it's probably ever been," he said.

McEntire said the 20-member working group will focus on Medicaid and increasing access for the working poor.

"How do we take advantage of the federal funds for increasing access to care, but do it in such a way that benefits Oklahoma, and we can have measurable outcomes?" he said.

England told CNHI Oklahoma in July Yes on 802 is optimistic to see what comes out of the working group. She said she's grateful there seems to be a "greater sense of urgency" to tackle the issue.

"The Legislature has had almost a decade to come up with a plan that would expand Medicaid and cover almost 200,000 more Oklahomans," she said. "They haven't been able to come up with a plan yet."

Her group will continue to pursue their measure until there's a plan signed into law.

"It will not distract us from actually providing Oklahomans a chance to decide for themselves," England said. "I think you've seen in the past that the Legislature has punted on many of these issues and hasn't been able to come up with a compromise."

Yes on 802 has until Oct. 28 to collect 178,000 signatures, she said.

"It's going to take all of us working really hard to get those signatures," England said.

She said Saturday's events are a good step forward, as Yes on 802 expands beyond the Oklahoma City metro to a statewide initiative.

"We're really excited," England said, "because people across the state have been contacting the campaign to see how they can get involved."

To register for Saturday's training, to volunteer or for more information, visit https://www.mobilize.us/yeson802 or the campaign's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/yeson802.

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