Oklahoma governor removes only physicians from medical board

By SEAN MURPHY
September 7, 2021

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt removed the only two physicians from the board that oversees the state’s Medicaid agency, just a week after the board voted 7-1 to delay implementing rules on Stitt’s plan to privatize some Medicaid services.

Dr. Jean Hausheer told The Associated Press on Tuesday that both she and Dr. Laura Shamblin, an Oklahoma City pediatrician, were informed on Saturday by a staffer in the governor’s office that they were being removed from the governing board of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Hausheer, an ophthalmologist from Lawton, said neither she nor Shamblin were told why they were being removed, and Stitt spokeswoman Carly Atchison didn’t immediately respond to questions about his decision.

“The governor has my cellphone number ... it is kind of odd that he didn’t contact me himself,” Hausheer said. “I’m going to presume it was because of our last board meeting.”

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