Oklahoma Health Care Authority

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) is charged with controlling costs of state-purchased health care for Oklahomans without private insurance. One of its primary goals is to foster collaboration among public and private entities to build a responsive healthcare system for Oklahoma. TSET has awarded a grant to OHCA to help improve the health of SoonerCare members by ensuring access to tobacco cessation services, targeting vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, and identifying health risks such as obesity and tobacco use. 

The SoonerQuit Provider Engagement grant focuses on improving tobacco cessation within clinic settings using best practice methods. SoonerQuit Provider Engagement works to ensure doctors are educated on a proven method to talk to patients about quitting, and are able to successfully refer patients to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline either by fax or in a real-time data sharing with the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline. This program also emphasizes ensuring that pregnant women and households with young children are aware of services available to assist in cessation.  

SoonerQuit Health Promotion is an infrastructure grant that employs two full-time staff members to lead wellness initiatives with SoonerCare members. The objective is to work with partners and providers on how to integrate wellness within the SoonerCare population and increase access to care. The program focuses on reducing barriers to tobacco cessation, such as a co-pay, through policy changes. The program promotes the utilization of nutrition services, increased identification and documentation of obesity, and engaging members in healthier behaviors through increased physical activity, nutrition and becoming tobacco free. Additionally, TSET partners with OHCA to improve the health outcomes of all Oklahomans through the following programs:

• Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Cost-Sharing - through Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center, OHCA pays for calls to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline by SoonerCare members. 
• SoonerQuit for Women Mass Media Intervention - features eight Oklahoma women of childbearing age telling their real life stories of how they quit tobacco by talking to their doctors and utilizing the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline.
  
• Physician Manpower Training Commission - OHCA uses federal match to incentivize providers to practice in rural areas and see SoonerCare members of the state for 4 years. In return, participants can receive up to four years of tuition reimbursement.
  
• Oklahoma State University Doctor of Osteopathy Resident Program - OHCA is able to use federal match to reimburse student loans for medical residents who finish their physician training practice in rural clinics that are part of a hospital system.
• University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center: Evaluation/Medicaid Surveillance - Contract with OUHSC-Evaluation to deliver a true tobacco prevalence for the state’s Medicaid population. Surveillance will also gauge knowledge, attitudes and beliefs on wellness including physical activity and nutrition.

Need help quitting? Call the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline at 1-800-QUIT NOW.