Oklahoma Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Oklahoma?

In 2009, Oklahoma fell to #49 of the #50 states in America's Health Rankings, an annual study by United Health Foundation.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Prevalence of smoking – 46
• Prevalence of binge drinking – 9
• Prevalence of obesity – 46
• High school graduation – th
• Violent crime – 41
• Occupational fatalities – 43
• Children in poverty – 41
• Public health funding – 13
• Primary care physicians – 49
• Preventable hospitalizations – 45
• Poor mental health days – 46
• Poor physical health days – 46
• Cardiovascular deaths – 48
• Premature death – 43

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Oklahoma.

Does Oklahoma have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool
Toll-free 1-800-255-6065 or (913) 362-0040

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Oklahoma will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Oklahoma's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Oklahoma

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Oklahoma and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in Oklahoma.
• Materiales En Español – Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Oklahoma

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Oklahoma.

USNews health insurance rankings for Oklahoma

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Oklahoma.

Official State Goverment Sites with Oklahoma Health Insurance Information

Oklahoma Health Care Authority -- the primary entity in the state of Oklahoma charged with controlling costs of state-purchased health care.

SoonerCare -- SoonerCare (Oklahoma Medicaid) is a health coverage program jointly funded by the federal and state government. This program helps pay some or all medical bills for many people who can't afford them.