House Bill No. 1853, introduced by Representative Schreiber, aims to enhance the flexibility of health care payment options for individuals in Oklahoma. The bill defines key terms related to health care services and health benefit plans, allowing individuals to pay for medical expenses out-of-pocket. It mandates that insurance providers count these out-of-pocket payments toward deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments, provided that the enrollee has negotiated a lower cost for the service compared to the average amount paid by the insurance carrier to network providers. The bill also outlines documentation requirements for enrollees to submit to their insurance carriers to ensure that their payments are recognized.

The legislation includes provisions for the codification of new sections in the Oklahoma Statutes, specifically Sections 6060.50 and 6060.51 of Title 36. It specifies that the amount counted toward an enrollee's out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed the total amount required during a contractually agreed period and does not carry over into new contract periods. The bill is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.