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Source article Tulsa World March 24, 2011 (to read complete article and comments)

OKLAHOMA

By WAYNE GREENE World Senior Writer Published: 3/24/2011  2:28 AM Last Modified: 3/24/2011  8:01 AM

Gov. Mary Fallin: “Without an Oklahoma exchange, the state is virtually guaranteed to be subject to a federally run, Washington D.C. substitute.”

Gov. Mary Fallin is being criticized by fellow Republicans because of her support for a proposal that some say is the first step to implementing “Obama-care” in Oklahoma. Fallin campaigned against federal health-care reform, voted against it while she was in Congress and maintains that it is unconstitutional.

But she is being ripped by some of the most conservative members of her own party for backing House Bill 2130, which would set up a framework for health-care insurance exchanges in the state.

“If we do not pass HB 2130 and implement an Oklahoma-based exchange, the results will be devastating for those of us who oppose ObamaCare and the federal intrusion it represents,” Fallin says in a Tuesday letter to lawmakers. “Without an Oklahoma exchange, the state is virtually guaranteed to be subject to a federally run, Washington D.C. substitute.”

Some members of Fallin’s party say HB 2130 is designed to marry Oklahoma to Obama’s federal health-care plans.
“It’s the first step of Obamacare,” said Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee. “You just can’t think that the federal government is going to give you money and not have any strings attached.”

Oklahoma has received $54 million in federal funding to pay for establishing a health insurance exchange. The state applied for the money when Brad Henry was governor but accepted it after Fallin took office.

“If we accept any federal money, then that locks us into Obamacare,” said Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow. “The people of Oklahoma do not want Obamacare, but now our executive branch and our legislative branch is trying to shove it down our throats.”

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