OPUBCOcare: Company Participates in Federal Health Program

(How many state residents remain without health insurance or adequate health care access as OPUBCO reaps benefits and fights against reform?)

The Oklahoma Publishing Company, which publishes The Oklahoman, is one of several state companies listed as participants in an early retiree insurance program created by the federal Affordable Care Act.

The Oklahoman editorial page has vehemently opposed the health care legislation in recent months.

According to Healthcare.gov:

The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

Businesses, other employers, and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims for early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. Savings can be used to reduce employer health care costs, provide premium relief to workers and families, or both.

Other state businesses listed as participants in the program include Advantage Health Plans Trust, ConocoPhillips Company, Indian Electric Cooperative, Inc., OGE Energy Corp, ONEOK, Inc., Pipeline Industry Benefit Fund and The Williams Companies, Inc.

The Affordable Care Act benefits everyone, even those who criticize it with fallacious, slippery slope arguments about the supposed encroachment of the federal government and label it “Obamacare” with disdain. The newspaper’s hypocrisy would be laughable, except for this: It waged a partisan, editorial battle against a measure that will improve health care in Oklahoma, a state with poor medical outcomes. How many state residents remain without health insurance or adequate health care access as OPUBCO reaps benefits and fights against reform?