For Immediate Release
December 12, 2012
Contact: Trav Robertson
405.427.3366

 FALLIN FORCES RESIGNATION

Governor Mary Fallin Forces State Health Board Member to Resign

Oklahoma City–  Oklahoma’s Department of Health is managed by a nine-member board which is comprised of people appointed by the Governor. Recently, it became public knowledge that Governor Fallin’s rejection of Medicaid dollars forced the board’s public health policy committee chairman, Glenn Davis, DDS to resign. 

Davis, a dentist from Shawnee, told the Governor in a resignation letter, “I will not serve as a ‘rubber stamp’ for the status quo in this political environment.” 

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Wallace Collins said, “The Governor is sending our money to other states, which is so ridiculous that her appointees are rejecting her anti-health policies.”

The Governor first accepted and then turned away $54 million in Federal funds to set up a health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act. Now those funds have been sent to other states, while she allows the Federal Government to come in and set up an exchange for Oklahoma.

“She continues to put her head in the sand on implementing the Affordable Care Act,” commented Chairman Collins. “She should act like a leader and be responsible with our tax dollars.”

Earlier this week Governor Fallin tried to take credit for the improved overall ranking of Oklahoma in a national survey of public health.

“Governor Fallin wants to proclaim ‘look what I did’ almost three years after historic healthcare reform was passed on the federal level!”, Chairman Collins continued. “If you look at the benefits of Obamacare, she should be one of the President’s biggest cheerleaders.”

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Source: Oklahoma Improves State Health Ranking (Governor’s Office)