New SoonerCare Expansion Benefits Now In Effect

Brand new benefits kick in Thursday for Oklahomans enrolled in SoonerCare's Medicaid Expansion program.

Under the new guidelines, an estimated 200,000 more Oklahomans can take advantage of the benefits.

Oklahoma Health Care Authority chief of communications Melissa Richey said the authority wants Oklahomans to know there are a lot of people who may not realize they are now eligible for SoonerCare.   

"So you may have a college student, who is trying to get through school, paying for their books, and paying for tuition and they are not paying for their insurance because they can't afford it,” Richey said. “So now you have those students who may apply and be eligible to now receive healthcare."

You must be between the ages of 19 and 64, have an income under $18,000 for an individual or around $36,500 for a family of four to be eligible for SoonerCare benefits.

"A lot of Oklahomans who before couldn't afford to go to the doctor when they were sick, so they were taking care of themselves on their own at home and maybe their illness was getting worse and all those things that happen when you don't take care of yourself," Richey said.

When Oklahomans receive a notification they are approved for SoonerCare benefits starting today, those benefits go into effect immediately. If you need to go see a doctor or go to a clinic, those benefits will be ready for use.

Oklahomans who want to apply need to make sure they have their documents ahead of time and then apply at www.mysoonercare.org or by calling 800-987-7767.

If you apply by phone or online, you will receive notification of their status right away.

Richey said around 125,000 Oklahomans have applied for the new benefits so far.