Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak has ordered Oklahoma’s registered navigators to provide summary reports on enrollment data. The request comes after Doak’s testimony to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) revealed growing concerns about navigators. After Doak questioned the effectiveness of navigator enrollment and marketing tactics, U. S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said 17 navigators enrolled less than 100 people each in 2016, putting the average grant cost per enrollee at approximately $5,000 for those navigators.
“This kind of waste and abuse confirms a fear I’ve had from the very beginning of the Obamacare debacle,” said Doak. “I urge Congress to begin auditing and overseeing the efficiency of Obamacare navigators. Taxpayer dollars are too precious to waste.”
Since 2013, Oklahoma’s navigator entities have received more than $5.2 million in grants to help consumers look for health coverage options through the federal marketplace. Navigators are authorized to complete eligibility and enrollment forms but are required to be unbiased.
During Wednesday’s hearing, HELP Committee Chairman Alexander revealed that inefficiencies in the navigator program were prevalent. He confirmed one instance where a navigator entity received a $200,000 grant and only enrolled one person in Obamacare.
Commissioner Doak has sent letters to all registered navigators in Oklahoma requesting specific information to determine total consumer encounters and enrollment numbers. The goal of the data collection is to report on the program’s effectiveness and to assist our federal delegates in determining whether government monies would be better spent elsewhere going forward.
Besides shining a spotlight on the federal government’s difficulties around the navigator program, Doak encouraged Congress to return power to the states.
“This is another shining example of the importance of state-based regulation,” said Doak. “Oklahomans know what’s best for Oklahomans. I urge Congress to give us the flexibility we need to implement real solutions to our health insurance problems.”

By Ron Hendricks

Regarding the sad news or the Oklahoma City Police officer fatally shooting a deaf man; We at Central Oklahoma Chapter Hearing Loss Association of America, encourage everyone to comply with police orders. If you are detained by a policeman –STOP what you are doing, stand still, and drop anything in your hand. The above applies if you can hear or not, however, if you are hard of hearing, after the officer approaches you, show him your pocket card that indicates the fact that you don’t hear well. A police officer will respect that. It is our goal to reach every Oklahoman with hearing loss to educate them and to help with listening skills, hints, and tricks. Central Oklahoma Chapter Hearing Loss Association of America, has been about the business of helping people with a hearing loss live successfully in the hearing world for 26 plus years. We are available to assist you, including meetings that are always open to the public and are free. We can supply a speaker for your group. See COCHLAA at the State Fair & many other community outreach events such as Health Fairs, Senior events, demonstrations, and consultations as well as at the Hearing Helper’s Room, 5100 N Brookline, Suite 100. We invite you to join Central Oklahoma Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America. For more information visit the website, WWW.OKCHearingLoss.org.

Date/ Day/ Location/ Time/ Registration #/ Instructor

Oct 3/ Tuesday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 4 pm/ 773-6910/ Kruck, Healthy Living Oklahoma City – 11501 N. Rockwell Ave.
Oct 5/ Thursday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 951-2277/ Varacchi, Integris 3rd Age Life Center – 5100 N. Brookline, Suite 100
Oct 9/ Monday/ Midwest City/ 9 am – 2 pm/ 473-8239/ Williams, First Christian Church – 11950 E. Reno (Reno & Anderson)
Oct 10/ Tuesday/ Yukon/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 350-7680/ Kruck, Dale Robetson Activity Center – 1200 Lakeshore Dr.
Oct 13/ Friday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 950-2277/ Edwards, S.W. Medical Center – 4200 S. Douglas, Suite B-10
Oct 20/ Friday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 681-3266/ Palinsky, Woodson Park Senior Center – 3401 S. May Ave.
Oct 26/ Thursday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 486-4813/ Varacchi, Epworth Villa – 14901 N. Pennsylvania Ave
Oct 28/ Saturday/ Shawnee/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 818-2916/ Brase, Gordon Cooper Tech. Center – One John C. Burton Blvd.
Nov 2/ Thursday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 951-2277/ Varacchi, Integris 3rd Age Life Center – 5100 N. Brookline, Suite 100
Nov 3/ Friday/ Okla. City/ 9 am – 3:30 pm/ 297-1455/ Palinsky, Will Rogers Senior Center – 3501 Pat Murphy Dr.

The prices for the classes are: $15 for AARP members and $20 for Non-AARP. Call John Palinsky, zone coordinator for the Oklahoma City area at 405-691-4091 or send mail to: johnpalinsky@sbcglobal.net

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is outraged that a registered nurse was handcuffed and arrested by a police officer for following her hospital’s policy and the law, and is calling for the Salt Lake City Police Department to conduct a full investigation, make amends to the nurse, and take action to prevent future abuses.
The incident occurred July 26 at University Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and video footage of the incident was recently released. Registered nurse Alex Wubbels was arrested after refusing to draw blood from an unconscious patient who had been injured in a collision and was a patient on the burn unit.
According to the video, Nurse Wubbels shared details about the hospital’s policy with the police officers and consulted her supervisors in responding to the detective’s request. Wubbels cited the hospital’s policy, stating that blood could not be taken from an unconscious patient unless the patient is under arrest, a warrant had been issued for the blood draw, or the patient consents. The police officers stated that they had implied consent to get the blood sample and they believed that the hospital’s policy contravened their duty to enforce the law. However, “implied consent” has not been Utah law for more than a decade. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that warrantless blood tests go against privacy interests and public safety and therefore are not allowed. “It is outrageous and unacceptable that a nurse should be treated in this way for following her professional duty to advocate on behalf of the patient as well as following the policies of her employer and the law,” said ANA President Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN.
According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, “the nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.” Unfortunately, nurses often are victims of violence on the job. In 2015, ANA adopted a policy of “zero tolerance” for workplace violence and called on nurses and their employers to work together to prevent and reduce the incidence of workplace violence. “Nurses and police officers work collaboratively in many communities,” said Cipriano. “What occurred is simply outrageous and unacceptable. Nurse Wubbels did everything right. It is imperative that law enforcement and nursing professionals respect each other and resolve conflicts through dialogue and due process.”

The Mercedes-Benz Club of Central Oklahoma, the Porsche Club of the War Bonnet Region and the Boathouse Foundation have partnered to host the annual “Classics on the River” car show Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Boathouse District located at 800 Riversport Drive OKC, OK 73129. Admission is free, but donations are welcome and will benefit the programs of Sunbeam Family Services. To register a car for the show, the fee is $30 for pre-registration ($25 for additional cars) and $35 for late registration on the day of the event. All proceeds benefit Sunbeam.
The classic car show will feature various classes of vintage and modern Mercedes-Benz and Porsche cars in judged and display classes. Brand new Mercedes and Porsche models will also be on display. For more information, visit http://centralok.mbca.org/ or email central.ok.mbca@gmail.com.
”We are thrilled that the Mercedes-Benz Club and Porsche Club have chosen Sunbeam for this incredible opportunity once again,” says Jim Priest, Sunbeam’s CEO. “Thanks to their generosity, we will have more funds to serve Oklahoma City children, families and seniors.”
About Sunbeam Family Services: Founded in 1907, Sunbeam Family Services is one of Oklahoma’s longest serving nonprofits, providing help, hope and the opportunity to succeed to people of all ages and all stages of life in central Oklahoma through early childhood, foster care, counseling and senior services. To learn more, visit www.sunbeamfamilyservices.org or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.