PUBLIC SQUARE

How do you feel about Oklahoma regulating medical coverage?

Proposed bills in the Oklahoma Legislature could ban gender transition procedures for minors and make transgender adults pay medical bills out of their own pocket. Last week, we asked readers how they feel about the Oklahoma Legislature regulating which procedures their insurance can cover. Here are some of their responses, including some from the 138 people who engaged about the issue on Instagram:

"I feel strongly against the legislature or any body of government regulating my medical coverage. Access to healthcare is a basic human right. The health decisions and those discussions should remain in the hands of the patient / their guardians and the medical professionals. We do not call over a plumber when our air conditioner breaks, so why would the law imply it could have the best decision for a person's well-being? Not every person fits the same diagnosis. As a government body, the OK Leg should be opening its mind to understand better the complexities of these health outcomes rather than attacking them. It's incredibly disappointing that people we've elected (and some that did not vote for) feel so strongly against compassion to their neighbors and utilizing government-funded resources and time towards issues that do not concern them." — Yen Le, Oklahoma City

"Senate Bill 613 is a dangerous and divisive piece of legislation with no medical evidence to back it up. The bill's author, Sen. Daniels, even admitted that she didn't consult healthcare practitioners or any trans people at all when crafting the bill. Instead, she got her language from a conservative special interest group. Gender-affirming health care has been medically proven to help with emotional and mental distress in kids and can even be life-saving. Not to mention that legislating anyone's personal medical decisions is immoral. Oklahoma lawmakers are spiraling out of control with their attacks on women and the LGBTQ+ community. This political bullying needs to stop." — Melissa Beck, Lawton

"I am deeply concerned about increasing government interference in healthcare decisions, especially when licensing and regulatory boards are already in place to protect patients. From female reproductive care to gender-affirming services, these data points are adding to a trend with in vitro fertilization next in line. By putting gender-affirming care on the chopping block, Oklahoma leaves families without access to needed specialists. Imagine the youth who will be forced by our government to suddenly detransition while their medical team must search for jobs out of state. How is that considered safe for our youth medically or psychologically? How will Oklahoma train, keep, and attract quality professionals when we legislate against the treatment recommendations for care by respected medical associations? I do not know why we would want to outsource Oklahomans' medical care to other states and chase out the experts we are fortunate to have." — Anne K. Jacobs, Ph.D., (she/her) licensed clinical child psychologist, Edmond

"No, they need to deal with issues that everyone has and stay out of people's health decisions. It's none of their business." — Johnna Cryer, Oklahoma City

"I think our legislators should lead from the middle. Most all their proposed bills are hot-button issues that are based more on hard political rhetoric rather than helping Oklahomans. Why should lawmakers get to decide what insurance covers? Why do they care? Or are they just uncomfortable with the trans community?" — Matt Matthews, Yukon

"I thought they didn't believe in big brother government. I thought they believed in freedom. What happened to 'my body, my choice?' Does that only apply to vaccines?" — Micah Gamino, Oklahoma City

"Yes! Insurance shouldn't cover. ... And we should also go back to cash pay instead of insurance. Insurance is way overpriced because of things that legally must be covered that truly shouldn't be. By the time I have $24,000 a year cut from my paycheck, another $10,000 deduction. It's much cheaper to self-pay when I go to the doctor and have a catastrophic insurance policy for emergencies." — Casey Smith, Logan County