Oklahoma House Bill HB2668

Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/23
• Refer: 2/7/23

Caption

Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Revolving Fund; Office of Management and Enterprise Services approval; Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs; treatment of traumatic brain injuries hyperbaric chambers; reimbursement Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Revolving Fund; treatment plans; costs of treatment; effective date.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would enhance access to hyperbaric oxygen therapy—a treatment believed to benefit veterans with TBI—by enabling providers to seek compensation directly through the revolving fund. This change is positioned to facilitate a quicker response to processing treatment claims, thus potentially increasing the number of veterans able to receive this alternative therapy. The revisions to the existing fund will also make it continuous, free from the usual fiscal year limitations, which could assure more stable funding for these critical services.

Summary

House Bill 2668 aims to improve the treatment options for veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). This legislation establishes the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Revolving Fund, which reallocates the authority for approval of treatment and reimbursement claims from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill allows the fund to cover all direct and indirect costs associated with the treatment of TBIs through hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Contention

Some potential points of contention surrounding HB2668 include the amendment of existing language that removes the involvement of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services in approving treatment, which may raise concerns about oversight and the efficiency of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs in handling funding and treatment decisions. Critics might argue that significant changes could lead to delays and inefficiencies, endangering timely access to necessary treatments for veterans who urgently need them.