Oklahoma Doesn’t Let Inmates Get Medicaid Before Release

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma does not participate in a program that allows soon-to-be-released inmates to sign up for Medicaid health insurance before release.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections, Terri Watkins, says there is "very little we can provide" to newly released inmates because the state has opted not to expand its Medicaid program.

The Oklahoman reports that under federal rules inmates cannot access federal health care benefits while incarcerated. However, they can sign up for Medicaid 30 days before they are released so they are covered when they get out.

But Oklahoma is among 20 states that have not expanded their Medicaid programs under the new federal health care law. Oklahoma officials claim the state could not afford the expansion regardless of how much money the federal government provided.