Fewer people in Oklahoma City are homeless, according to the latest counts. But more are unsheltered at night, even in the dead of winter. So Oklahoma Watch asked those on the streets, “Where do you sleep?”
With Closing of Pauls Valley Hospital, a City’s ‘Peace of Mind’ Is Shaken
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After years of financial struggles, the Pauls Valley Regional Medical Center has closed, with officials saying they could not secure enough funds to keep the hospital going. More than 100 hospital employees will lose their jobs and the city of 6,200 will be deprived of a nearby health center offering basic surgeries, wound care and stabilization.
In Pauls Valley, a Rural Hospital Struggles Again to Survive
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Pauls Valley Regional Medical Center is once again the poster child for struggling rural hospitals as it battled a cash crunch and lawsuit verdict it had to pay. Then, on Oct. 12, the hospital closed.
In One Minute: SQ 793, on Vision Care and Eyeglasses
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In this short video, find out what State Question 793, on the Nov. 6 ballot, would change on the consumer market for vision care and sales of eyeglasses.
Cities Become Owners of Nursing Homes, Expecting Windfall from Feds
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A handful of small Oklahoma cities have become owners of dozens of Oklahoma nursing homes across the state in the past 15 months, hoping to tap into a federal program that will bring them millions of dollars. Can they ensure quality of care?
List of City-Owned Nursing Homes
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Licenses for a total of 46 nursing homes are owned by a handful of Oklahoma cities and one town. Here’s a list of the nursing homes and their owners.
Feds Claw Back More Medicaid Money for Medical Schools, But Offer One Break
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The federal government has clawed back another $32 million in Medicaid matching funds as part of an ongoing dispute over Oklahoma’s use of the money to help fund medical schools that treat Medicaid patients. However, the agency said it would provide matching money through June 2019.
Medical Marijuana Will Be a Cash-Only Market, with Hassles for All
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Because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, all transactions in medical marijuana in Oklahoma will likely be made in cash, from growers to buyers, as banks will avoid the business. That will bring a host of complications.
Mapping the Medical Marijuana Vote, by County
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This interactive map shows results by county in the vote on State Question 788, which legalized medical marijuana.
Dueling Doctors: The Benefits, Risks of Treating Patients with Marijuana
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Medical associations have been cautious or opposed when it comes to legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes. But what do individual doctors think? Oklahoma Watch talked to a physician in Oklahoma City and another in Florida, where a form of medical marijuana is legal, to get their perspectives. Oklahoma voters weigh in June 26.
Medical Marijuana: What the Research Shows
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Until Monday, a marijuana-derived drug had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. What does the research show about the effects of marijuana on health?