A. On and after January 1, 1995, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall be the designated state agency for the administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program.
1. The Authority shall contract with the Department of Human Services for the determination of Medicaid eligibility and other administrative or operational functions related to the Oklahoma Medicaid Program as necessary and appropriate.
2. To the extent possible and appropriate, upon the transfer of the administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program, the Authority shall employ the personnel of the Medical Services Division of the Department of Human Services.
3. The Department of Human Services and the Authority shall jointly prepare a transition plan for the transfer of the administration of the Oklahoma Medicaid Program to the Authority. The transition plan shall include provisions for the retraining and reassignment of employees of the Department of Human Services affected by the transfer. The transition plan shall be submitted to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before January 1, 1995. B. In order to provide adequate funding for the unique training and research purposes associated with the demonstration program conducted by the entity described in paragraph 7 of subsection B of Section 6201 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and to provide services to persons without regard to their ability to pay, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall analyze the feasibility of establishing a Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing facilities to provide a separate Medicaid payment rate sufficient to cover all costs allowable under Medicare principles of reimbursement for the facility to be constructed or operated, or constructed and operated, by the organization described in paragraph 7 of subsection B of Section 6201 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.