{"id":732667,"date":"2026-04-16T18:28:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T18:28:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/732667\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T18:28:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T18:28:30","slug":"medicaid-expansion-comments-inappropriate-in-house-floor-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/732667\/","title":{"rendered":"Medicaid expansion comments ‘inappropriate’ in House floor speech"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. speaks to press following the State of the State address on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Blake Douglas)
\n Support Journalism<\/a><\/p>\n

One day after Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. spoke to<\/a> the Oklahoma House of Representatives and referenced his opposition to proposals that could rollback Medicaid expansion, Speaker Kyle Hilbert wrote Hoskin a letter<\/a> expressing his \u201cdisappointment\u201d with the chief\u2019s decision to \u201cdelve into political matters\u201d during his invited speech.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was quite inappropriate and contrary to our House rules for an invited guest to delve into political matters. I was particularly concerned with the tone and tenor of the speech, which was in direct contrast to the public position of an overwhelming majority of the members of the House of Representatives,\u201d wrote Hilbert (R-Bristow<\/a>). \u201cWhile it is understandable, and frankly, to be expected for the Cherokee Nation to have public concerns with adjustments to Medicaid, there are other forums where this advocacy is more appropriate. To put it into perspective, there is no circumstance where I, as an invited guest, to either the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council or an Inter-Tribal Council meeting, would use the platform bestowed upon me to take positions contrary to the Cherokee Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a same-day response to Hilbert\u2019s letter \u2014 provided to NonDoc by the speaker\u2019s office \u2014 Hoskin wrote a two-sentence letter<\/a> back to Hilbert.<\/p>\n

\u201cWado for your letter,\u201d Hoskin wrote. \u201cYour letter, better than anything I have seen during my time as principal chief, illustrates the great challenges for tribes in engaging with the state of Oklahoma.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Hilbert\u2019s letter obtained by NonDoc from a third-party unrelated to the Cherokee Nation, Hilbert ultimately said Hoskin \u201cwill not be invited back to the House\u201d owing to the kerfuffle.<\/p>\n

During his remarks April 8, Hoskin told legislators Medicaid expansion has had more than $220 million in economic impact, created 14,000 jobs and is vital to the Cherokee Nation\u2019s health care system.<\/p>\n

\u201cI consider this entire Legislature a friend to the Cherokee people and the Cherokee Nation. Friends sometimes need to level with each other and I want to level with you about Medicaid expansion,\u201d Hoskin said. \u201cMedicaid expansion has generated about $91 million within the Cherokee Nation health system alone. Every single penny goes into that nursing school, goes into that clinic, goes into that young person who wants to be a doctor or a nurse tomorrow. Goes into that system of wellness that we are growing. It goes into grants that we provide to communities to upgrade what they are doing in terms of wellness. Those are some of the best dollars that any government could ever spend.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the State Senate advanced new versions of HB 4440<\/a> and HJR 1067<\/a>, which would place state questions on Oklahoma\u2019s Nov. 3 general election ballot offering two options for loosening the current requirement that adults up to 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for Medicaid.<\/p>\n

Crafted after a week\u2019s worth of conversation between Senate GOP leaders and health care stakeholders, HB 4440\u2019s new version<\/a> would retain the constitutional Medicaid expansion requirement voters narrowly approved in 2020. However, it would remove language currently blocking \u201cgreater or additional burdens or restrictions on eligibility or enrollment.\u201d Instead, if the federal government ever lowers its funding percentage below 90 percent for the expanded adult population, HB 4440\u2019s proposed language would trigger an ability for legislators to add additional requirements and parameters to adult eligibility for Medicaid.<\/p>\n

HJR 1067\u2019s new version<\/a>, on the other hand, would entirely transfer the Medicaid expansion language from the constitution to statute if the federal funding percentage drops below 90 percent.<\/p>\n

Because both bills were amended, they must head back to the House for a final vote.<\/p>\n

Hoskin: \u2018This state can\u2019t afford to lose Medicaid expansion\u2019<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

The portion of Hoskin\u2019s speech which most likely drew Hilbert\u2019s ire involved Hoskin\u2019s promise to \u201cdo everything I can to try and protect\u201d Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friends, I know there are concerns about the cost of Medicaid. I know there are concerns about whether this state can afford to keep Medicaid expansion. I know that weighs on you. I just want you to know from the chief of the Cherokee Nation \u2014 someone who works with people who are committed like you are to a bright future in which we expand opportunities for wellness \u2014 my conclusion isn\u2019t (that) we can\u2019t afford it. My conclusion is that this state can\u2019t afford to lose Medicaid expansion, and I will do everything I can to try and protect it,\u201d Hoskin said. \u201cWhat I know about our friendship, and I\u2019m talking about the friendship between the Cherokee Nation and the state of Oklahoma, is that it\u2019s one of the most important friendships in this state if not the most important friendship in this state. There are things we can do together in this century that we cannot do alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his April 9 letter to Hoskin, Hilbert pushed back on that assessment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a leader yourself, I know you understand that budgets are constrained by available resources. Choices as to how to stretch taxpayer dollars never please everyone. Health care is no exception. Just as with you and your council, the tough decisions we are required to make aren\u2019t always popular decisions but they nevertheless must be made,\u201d Hilbert wrote. \u201cI will continue to have an open door policy with the leadership of the Cherokee Nation, as I always have, and will continue to have honest dialogue with the great people of the Cherokee Nation as we continue to work together in making our state and our communities better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julie Hubbard, the Cherokee Nation\u2019s communications director, defended Hoskin\u2019s remarks on the Oklahoma House floor in a statement Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the gravity in which the speed of the Medicaid Expansion bills were developing, and the vast impact repealing these bills has on the Cherokee Nation \u2014 $162 Million that goes directly into improving the tribe\u2019s health care system and $222 million into the northeastern Oklahoma economy \u2014 Chief Hoskin\u2019s speech on the House floor was timely, respectful and measured,\u201d Hubbard said. \u201cChief Hoskin has great respect for Speaker Hilbert and considers him a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement Thursday, Hilbert took issue with his letter to Hoskin becoming public.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is clearly self-promotion by Chief Hoskin,\u201d Hilbert said. \u201cMy letter was only distributed to him and his staff. The letter speaks for itself. He will not be invited back to the House. I will always defend the institution of the House of Representatives. I do appreciate Chief Hoskin leaking this private communication, bringing more attention the drain on tax dollars Obamacare has been and continues to be for Oklahomans.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is not the first time Hoskin has drawn attention for advocating for the Cherokee Nation\u2019s interests before another government\u2019s legislative body by alluding to negative consequences. In August, Hoskin spoke<\/a> to the Muscogee National Council in opposition to a resolution supported by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. That proposed resolution, which would have signaled Muscogee Nation support for the UKB\u2019s effort to place land in trust for the purpose of operating a casino,\u00a0was ultimately shelved.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is happening within the Cherokee Nation Reservation is an assault on our history, on our treaties, on our reservation, on our very identity,\u201d Hoskin told Muscogee legislators. \u201cIf this is approved, the Muscogee National Council is entering into that debate \u2014 that conflict \u2014 in a way that will do irreparable damage to something that I hold dear as principal chief (\u2026) and that is the relationship and the friendship between the Muscogee Nation and the Cherokee Nation. This does injury to it, and this National Council has to decide whether inflicting that injury is in the interest of the Muscogee Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read Hilbert\u2019s full letter to Hoskin
\n\"\"Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) wrote a letter Thursday, April 9, 2026, to Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. (Screenshot)
\nRead Hoskin\u2019s letter in response to Hilbert\u2019s letter
\n\"\"Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. responded to Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert\u2019s letter Thursday, April 9, 2026. (Screenshot)<\/p>\n