Kevin Stitt removes pesky doctors from Healthcare Authority board… the lost ogle
Over the weekend, the Oklahoma State Medical Association was up in arms after our esteemed Governor Kevin Stitt removed the only two physicians from the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority’s board of directors – Dr. Laura Shamblin and Dr. Jean Hausheer.
According to the OSMA, the removal comes not too long after the board voted against Stitt’s wishes. It also means there are currently no physicians serving on our Healthcare Authority’s board of directors, which in a way, is the most Oklahoma thing ever. I bet Stitt will probably replace them with his personal trainer and the “naturopath” who sells his wife essential oils.
Questions surround Stitt's decision to remove 2 doctors from Oklahoma Health Care Authority KOCO
Questions are swirling about why Gov. Kevin Stitt removed two doctors from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
The news about Stitt removing those two members — the only two medical doctors on that board — broke Saturday during a holiday weekend. Three major medical associations wrote to Stitt, asking him to reconsider.
Stitt removed Dr. Jean Hausheer and Dr. Laura Shamblin from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board of directors.
The question, though, is why?
The Oklahoma State Medical Association accused the governor of playing politics, saying he only removed them because they voted against advancing his Medicaid privatization plan.
"The Health Care Authority's job is to oversee more than $2 billion taxpayer dollars and serve Oklahoma's most vulnerable citizens, not rubber-stamp a governor's political agenda," said Dr. George Monks, the OSMA's immediate past president.
Stitt's office told KOCO 5 on Tuesday that he's appointed Susan Dell-Osso, a former Integris official, and Geno DeMarco, his former personal protective equipment czar. A spokesperson did not answer the question of why the two doctors were removed.
Over the weekend, the Oklahoma State Medical Association was up in arms after our esteemed Governor Kevin Stitt removed the only two physicians from the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority’s board of directors – Dr. Laura Shamblin and Dr. Jean Hausheer.
According to the OSMA, the removal comes not too long after the board voted against Stitt’s wishes. It also means there are currently no physicians serving on our Healthcare Authority’s board of directors, which in a way, is the most Oklahoma thing ever. I bet Stitt will probably replace them with his personal trainer and the “naturopath” who sells his wife essential oils.
Questions surround Stitt's decision to remove 2 doctors from Oklahoma Health Care Authority KOCO
Questions are swirling about why Gov. Kevin Stitt removed two doctors from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
The news about Stitt removing those two members — the only two medical doctors on that board — broke Saturday during a holiday weekend. Three major medical associations wrote to Stitt, asking him to reconsider.
Stitt removed Dr. Jean Hausheer and Dr. Laura Shamblin from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board of directors.
The question, though, is why?
The Oklahoma State Medical Association accused the governor of playing politics, saying he only removed them because they voted against advancing his Medicaid privatization plan.
"The Health Care Authority's job is to oversee more than $2 billion taxpayer dollars and serve Oklahoma's most vulnerable citizens, not rubber-stamp a governor's political agenda," said Dr. George Monks, the OSMA's immediate past president.
Stitt's office told KOCO 5 on Tuesday that he's appointed Susan Dell-Osso, a former Integris official, and Geno DeMarco, his former personal protective equipment czar. A spokesperson did not answer the question of why the two doctors were removed.