Published: July 13, 2008 12:17 pm      

Blackwell receives Legislator of Year award

Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, Speaker Pro Tempore of Oklahoma’s House of Representatives, recently received the “Legislator of the Year” award from the Oklahoma Substance Abuse Services Alliance.

The OSASA is a special-interest organization comprised of non-profit treatment and substance abuse prevention agencies, as well as private individuals. According to OSASA’s website, the organization’s goal is to increase public funding for substance abuse treatment and prevention.

Blackwell represents Oklahoma’s 61st congressional district, comprising the panhandle counties, Harper county and parts of Ellis and Woodward counties.

According to a press release, Blackwell was chosen for the award because of legislation he filed in the House in the 2008 session.

S.B. 1640, written by state Sen. Tom Ivester, D-Sayre, allows licensed counselors with a master’s degree to bill insurance providers when an individual seeks treatment, if the counselor specialized in substance abuse counseling.

“The problem was in the past, insurance companies just covered treatment by someone with a doctorate,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell said the Senate had already passed a version of the bill, but advocates of the measure couldn’t get it through the House. Blackwell said that’s when he was approached and asked for assistance.

“I said, ‘This is something I’d like to do,” Blackwell said.

Critics argue that requiring insurance providers to either increase or expand coverage may drive up insurance premiums.

“It’s something that was never raised,” Blackwell said. “It’s a question I had that never came up on the floor.”

Blackwell said that he decided the costs of not passing the bill would outweigh the potential costs of the bill once it became law, so he endorsed the legislation.

“Representative Blackwell really was such an advocate for this legislation, and this would not have passed without his efforts,” OSASA’s executive director Teresa Collado said in a press release.

“I am honored to receive this award,” Blackwell said. “The new availability of of drug counseling will better and more efficiently serve the health and safety needs of Oklahoma’s citizens and I am proud to be a part of that effort.”