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House adopts resolution saying Stark law impedes rural health care
Summary
The Oklahoma House adopted House Concurrent Resolution 1007, expressing that the federal Stark physician self-referral law impedes rural health care and urging change; members questioned potential effects on patient billing and physician self-dealing.
The Oklahoma House adopted House Concurrent Resolution 1007, a measure expressing the legislature’s view that the federal physician self‑referral law (commonly known as the Stark law) creates barriers to health-care delivery in rural parts of the state.
Representative Snead, who presented HCR 1007, said the resolution seeks to express that the Stark law disincentivizes physicians from living and practicing in rural Oklahoma and that an exemption for rural areas would improve access. "HCR 1007 seeks to express a sentiment that the physician self referral law, or better known as Stark law, is an impediment to rural health care in the state of Oklahoma," Snead said.
Members pressed the author on implications if the federal law were effectively ignored. Representative Fugate and others asked how removing or exempting Stark law protections might affect patients, citing concerns about physician self‑dealing, access to care and the risk that patients could face additional costs if Medicare or Medicaid did not reimburse a procedure. Representative Roe asked whether a patient could be left owing the balance if federal payment rules denied reimbursement; the author said he did not believe such an outcome would be likely and that payment systems could be structured to allow payment to providers.
The author described the resolution as a request bill sponsored by constituents, including physicians, and said the intent was to encourage policy changes that would incentivize physicians to relocate to rural areas. Opponents raised questions about oversight and safeguards to prevent abusive referral practices if the Stark law were exempted.
Representative Snead moved adoption. The clerk conducted a roll call; after the vote the presiding officer announced the resolution had passed by a majority of those voting and declared HCR 1007 adopted.
Because this is a concurrent resolution expressing the House’s position rather than a change to federal law, it does not itself alter federal reimbursement rules or statutory requirements from Medicare or Medicaid.
