OKC Health Brief: New Behavioral Health Annex, SoonerCare Dental Rule Reversal, and Measles Update
Oklahoma City, OK – March 2, 2026 – New behavioral health beds open in southwest OKC as a SoonerCare dental rule is pulled amid measles concerns.
New behavioral health annex set to open in south OKC
State leaders say a newly renovated mental health facility in south Oklahoma City is expected to open within days, starting with a 32-bed annex for patients currently being treated at Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman. KOCO reports the shift could begin within about a week and is part of a broader plan to fully open a modern behavioral health campus by the end of 2026.
Officials have described the annex as a secure facility that is not open for walk-in care. The project is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, and leaders said the location is intended to reduce transportation time for people needing inpatient psychiatric care. KOCO also reported the full campus is expected to house up to about 195 patients when complete.
SoonerCare dental prior-authorization proposal withdrawn
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has directed the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to withdraw a proposed rule that would have added prior-authorization requirements for complex tooth extractions for SoonerCare members. In a Feb. 25 news release, the Attorney General’s Office said the rulemaking process was defective, citing changes made after the proposal was published for public comment and questions about whether comments were considered.
The action affects a policy area that can shape how quickly patients receive covered dental services and how much administrative paperwork providers face in the process.
Hospital association announces new partnership with Premier
The Oklahoma Hospital Association said Feb. 27 that it has entered a partnership with Premier, Inc., described by OHA as a healthcare improvement organization. In a message posted by the association, OHA said hospitals across the state are facing pressures including workforce shortages, rising costs, financial strain, and changes tied to Medicaid and value-based care, and that the partnership is intended to bring new tools, data, and expertise to support hospital operations, supply chain efforts, and quality improvement.
Measles activity remains a national concern
CDC data cited in a Feb. 27 CNN report show the United States has recorded more than 1,100 measles cases so far in 2026, with multiple outbreaks continuing in different regions. The report notes that public health agencies are monitoring additional spread and that healthcare systems may need to plan for exposure notifications and infection-control precautions as case counts rise.
Sources
https://www.koco.com/article/new-mental-health-facility-to-open-south-oklahoma-city/70538656
https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/february/drummond-orders-ohca-to-withdraw-new-rule.html
https://www.okoha.com/OHA/Hotline/2026/Feb-26/President-s-Message-Feb-27.aspx
https://ktvz.com/health/cnn-health/2026/02/27/the-us-has-surpassed-1100-measles-cases-in-two-months-expect-more-deaths-next/
If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.
