Tim Moore, president of the Mississippi Hospital Association for a decade, has been fired from his role, according to a Sept. 22 Mississippi Today report. The report was subsequently confirmed by the MHA.
The move comes just a day after Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced reforms to Medicaid programs in the state that could lead to almost $700 million in benefits to local hospitals.
It also comes a few months after a number of hospitals withdrew from the MHA shortly after its political action committee gave a $250,000 donation to Mr. Reeves' opponent in the governor's race, Democrat Brandon Presley. There is a striking correlation between the hospitals that withdrew from the MHA and the ones that have lined up behind Mr. Reeves' proposals.
Mr. Reeves had a "huge impact" on the hospitals' decisions to withdraw from the MHA, Mr. Moore said in the Mississippi Today report.
"My concern is not for me — I'm fine," Mr. Moore said. "But I'm afraid we've got a lot of hospitals that are not going to get the representation that they need because people will not stand up for them, and that's going to be a problem. That's going to affect healthcare in the state of Mississippi."
Mr. Moore will continue serving as needed until Nov. 30, the MHA board of governors said in a statement confirming his departure. Beginning Sept. 25, Kim Hoover, PhD, will be acting president and CEO.
"The board is grateful for Mr. Moore’s service over the past ten years," the statement said. "The board will immediately begin a search for a new president and CEO to lead the MHA."