Oklahoma should use its existing Insure Oklahoma program as a framework to take advantage of increased federal Medicaid funding and expand health insurance coverage to as many as 274,000 low-income uninsured residents, a health consultant told state health officials on Thursday.

A plan to phase out Oklahomas Workers Compensation Court and switch to an administrative system has been endorsed by all of the states major political players and is being hailed by state business leaders as a way to drive down insurance costs.

A federal judge on Monday denied a request by Planned Parenthood to temporarily block Oklahoma from terminating a contract with the agency to provide nutritional services to low-income mothers.

A state senator voiced concern Monday about the Oklahoma Insurance Department's recent purchase of police vehicles, shotguns and other law enforcement equipment, and said he plans to introduce a bill to stop what he described as the agency's "police-like posture."

Looming decisions for Gov. Mary Fallin on how Oklahoma will respond to the sweeping federal health care law are prompting an energetic, behind-the-scenes lobbying effort by hospitals, insurance companies, business and industry groups, and other constituencies that will be affected by provisions of the law.

Seven states trying to block part of the federal health care law that requires contraception coverage will continue with their lawsuit despite last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld most of the law, according to Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, who is leading the case.

The state's largest and most poorly underfunded system was put on a path to be 100-percent funded in 22 years. A new series of bills helped drop unfunded liabilities by more than $5.5 billion.

Dozens of pharmacists and pharmacy students packed into a legislative hearing Wednesday to voice concerns over a cost-saving proposal to change the prescription drug benefit plan for thousands of state and education employees in Oklahoma.