Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday appointed a member of the Oklahoma Medical Board to lead the state’s Health Care Authority.
Clay Bullard will serve as the next director of the agency, which administers the state’s Medicaid program, also known as SoonerCare.
“Healthcare is at a critical crossroads, and I look forward to working with Governor Stitt, agency partners, and providers across the state to build systems that improve outcomes and support healthier lives for all Oklahomans,” Bullard said in a statement.
He is replacing Ellen Buettner, who Stitt on Thursday announced would be the new CEO of the Regional University System of Oklahoma, which governs six universities. Buettner’s first day at RUSO will be Oct. 20, the group’s general counsel confirmed.
Bullard has over 25 years as a health care executive, according to a news release. He is also a health care consultant and the founder of PGx Medical, a business aimed at helping providers to implement “innovative diagnostic tools,” according to his LinkedIn.
As a medical consultant, he acquired $2.6 million in hydroxychloroquine at Stitt’s request in 2020 after it was touted by President Donald Trump to treat COVID-19. The drug was deemed ineffective at treating the virus by the Food and Drug Administration after it was briefly approved for use in hospital settings, but Bullard advised the governor to hold onto the stockpile as “insurance” if more research proved otherwise, according to reporting from News9.
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office in 2021 reached an agreement with the drug wholesaler to return 1.2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for a refund, according to reporting from Oklahoma Watch.
Bullard has served on the Oklahoma Medical Board and was a consulting advisor to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority’s director.
“Clay brings a unique combination of entrepreneurial vision, policy expertise, and hands-on leadership to this role,” Stitt said in a statement. “His record of challenging the status quo in healthcare and his dedication to improving the lives of Oklahomans make him the right choice to guide the future of health and mental health policy in our state.”
Bullard is a graduate of Bob Jones University in South Carolina, according to a news release.
A spokesperson for the Health Care Authority said Bullard’s first day would be Monday but his salary was not immediately provided.
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