Oklahoma Gov. Henry signs OSU-Tulsa Hospital bill

March 09, 2009 -- (Oklahoma City) -- Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry today approved legislation that will help preserve the Oklahoma State University medical program and the OSU Medical Center in Tulsa. Both had been facing an uncertain future because of financial difficulties and other challenges.

House Bill 1127 by House Speaker Chris Benge and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee appropriates $5 million to the OSU Medical Authority to keep the facility in operation. It is the first installment of five such annual appropriations.

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The funding is part of an agreement hammered out last December by Gov. Henry, Speaker Benge, Pro Tem Coffee, OSU officials and Tulsa leaders.

“This legislation will help preserve the OSU medical program in Tulsa, save the OSU Medical Center and address a number of underlying health care needs in Tulsa and across the state,” said Gov. Henry.

“I want to thank legislative leaders, Treasurer Scott Meacham and all of the Tulsa stakeholders for their hard work. I also want to thank George Kaiser and the Kaiser Family Foundation for stepping forward with their private support to make this initiative a reality. It would not have happened without that kind of local, private support.”

Legislative leaders echoed the remarks.

“I am pleased that this critical legislation was able to move quickly through the process to fulfill the state commitment to the OSU Medical Center in Tulsa,” said Speaker Benge. “This plan will ensure the statewide doctor pipeline remains in place and will stabilize the medical residency program while continuing indigent care for the northeast Oklahoma area.”

“This is a win-win-win for the state, the City of Tulsa and the health care needs of rural Oklahoma,” said Senate President Pro Tem Coffee. “The cooperation between the parties involved in negotiating this agreement was extraordinary. As Oklahoma continues to suffer a shortage of doctors and other medical professionals, this is an affordable and necessary part of the solution to providing health care to Oklahoma communities for generations to come. “

Under the agreement, Ardent Health Services is donating the OSU facility to a local trust that will contract with St. John Health System to operate it. The state is allocating capital funding to update and retool the OSU Medical Center and providing a five-year, $5 million state subsidy for operating costs. The Kaiser Family Foundation is also donating matching funds to help provide health care and insurance coverage in the Tulsa community.

The state has also agreed to mount an aggressive campaign to enroll eligible patients in Insure Oklahoma, a state initiative that provides subsidized health insurance to working individuals and families.

Source: Oklahoma Governor