Oklahoma Veterans Commit Suicide at Twice the Rate of Civilians
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Oklahoma veterans and active-duty military personnel are killing themselves at twice the rate of civilians, despite increased efforts to address the problem.
Prospects Are Few for Undocumented Immigrants in Failing Health
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People in Oklahoma who entered the U.S. illegally make do when it comes to health care, or they go without. If Congress grants them temporary legal status, many illegal immigrants could still remain without health insurance for at least a decade.
A Degree of Difference?
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Does it matter that Oklahoma has relatively few teachers with master’s degrees?
Locating the Uninsured
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About one in five Oklahomans under the age of 65 do not have health insurance, giving the state the sixth highest uninsured rate in the nation.
Immigration Bill: No Federal Health Benefits for Up to a Decade
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Undocumented immigrants given temporary legal status under a new immigration bill would be denied access to Medicaid and other subsidized insurance offered under the federal health-reform law. That would mean thousands of immigrants, while waiting for up to 10 years to be fully legalized, would likely continue turning to Oklahoma hospitals, clinics and other providers for free or reduced-cost care, health and advocacy-group officials said. Immigrants also would tend to delay or forego treatment because they can’t afford it, officials said. Immigrants given legal status under the bill would gain one new health option: They could legally get a job that offers health insurance. But according to studies, many immigrants work for small employers who don’t offer affordable coverage and won’t be required to do so under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Arkansas’ Health-Care Plan Being Studied by Consultant for Oklahoma
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A consultant hired by Oklahoma to look at new ways to provide health-care coverage to low-income people is studying an Arkansas plan that would channel federal Medicaid money through private insurers.
Oklahoma’s Ratio of Women in Legislature Among Nation’s Lowest
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Women make up a slight majority of Oklahomans, but that doesn’t translate into representation in the Legislature and Congress. Oklahoma has the fourth lowest percentage of female legislators in the nation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. There are four women among 48 Senate members, and 16 women among 101 House members. Altogether, women make up 13.4 percent of the state’s legislators, slightly ahead of Alabama, South Carolina and Louisiana. States with the largest shares of women are Colorado, 42 percent, and Vermont, 41 percent.
Profile of Legislature: An interactive graphic.
Many Low-Income Students May Fail Because of Reading Law
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An Oklahoma Watch data analysis finds that a disproportionate share of low-income students could be forced to repeat third grade under Oklahoma’s Reading Sufficiency Act.