TULSA, Okla. — Three-hundred-thousand Oklahomans are watching the days pass by. In eight days, their lives will change. Tax credits, related to the Affordable Care Act, are set to expire on New Year’s Eve.
Those 300,000 Oklahomans could be facing a steep bill, or no insurance at all.
Shelly Noon, of Okmulgee, relies on the Affordable Care Act for her insurance coverage. With tax credits soon expiring, she’s is weighing what’s next.
“What was a normal, middle class, what I think, payment, around $250, but without it, it’s $1400,” Noon said, “I will be without insurance,” if premiums skyrocket.
Insurance commissioner Glen Mulready says he expects up to 100,000 Oklahomans to opt out of their plans altogether. That means, they will fend for themselves.
Good news: there are plenty of options, too many for this platform.
However, it can be boiled down to four categories.
FREE CLINICS
The Oklahoma State Department of Health published a list of all the free clinics across the state. The list can be accessed by clicking here. It was published in 2023, however, most, if not all, seem to still be active.
UNIVERSITY AND TEACHING HOSPITALS
Educational clinics might be the best option for chronic, long-term or speciality care. Teaching hospitals will often offer discounted care as part of their curriculum. The same is true for teaching clinics in speciality practices like optometry and dentistry.
GOVERNMENT SCREENINGS
The Oklahoma State Department of Health offers screenings in several areas including birth defects, audiology and genetic diseases. Tulsa County Health Department offers screenings related to blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.
CLINICAL TRIALS
The National Institutes of Health maintains a database with all of the clinical trials it offers. Patients can enter their condition and location to explore options. The database is located at ClinicalTrials.Gov
While plenty of options exist for people without insurance, Mulready says, some insurance coverage is better than none.
“Any type of coverage for folks, for unseen, unknown health expenses that come upon you… it’s just good to have some sort of coverage in place,” Mulready said.
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