The Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA) has parted ways with president Tim Moore after a laundry list of hospitals decided to leave the organization.
Moore, who was tabbed as the MHA’s president and CEO in 2013, confirmed to Mississippi Today that his last day on the job is Friday, Sept. 22. He did not reveal to the publication when he was fired but said he has known “for some time.”
The decision by the MHA board to oust Moore comes after a tumultuous year, in which eight hospitals and health systems decided to withdraw their memberships with the association. Those that withdrew were the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Singing River Health System, Memorial Health System, George Regional Health System, Forrest General Hospital, North Mississippi Medical Center, Ochsner Health System, and Merit Health System.
While Moore maintained at the time that he had “no idea” why the hospitals were leaving in early May, the withdrawals came in the aftermath of a $250,000 donation to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brandon Presley from a political action committee associated with the MHA.
Moore confirmed suspicions several weeks later, saying in multiple interviews with SuperTalk Mississippi that although the membership terminations show collective disapproval of the candidate, the MHA will always support candidates who have the best interests of the hospitals at heart.
Presley’s campaign has centered around expanding Medicaid, while incumbent Republican Tate Reeves has vowed to not sign Medicaid expansion into law if reelected.
“Everything that is done is done for the benefit of hospitals and also for the patients. Each of these hospitals that have dropped out, they’re still going to receive the benefits of anything that is accomplished by the agenda of the MHA,” Moore explained in May. “The one and most important thing to all of our hospitals is Medicaid expansion.”
The initial report pressed Moore on whether Reeves had anything to do with the withdrawals, considering seven of the eight medical professionals involved in the governor’s recently announced $700 million initiative plan were those who left the MHA. Moore did not go into detail but said Reeves had a “huge impact” on the withdrawals.
For the time being, Kim Hoover will step into Moore’s role as president and CEO. Hoover previously served as chief operating officer for the association.
