Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed the state’s chief financial officer to lead the Oklahoma Health Care Authority less than a year after its current director assumed the role.
The state Medicaid agency’s director, Clay Bullard, notified Stitt’s office he will be returning to the private sector. He joined the Health Care Authority in October 2025. A news release states Bullard will provide “leadership transition support” over the next few weeks to Aaron Morris, who will serve as the agency’s interim director.
“Clay arrived at the agency at a pivotal time, and his private sector experience was invaluable,” Stitt said. “I am grateful for his service, and I wish him the best as he returns to the private sector.”
Morris also served as the Health Care Authority’s chief financial officer from June 2018 to Dec. 2024. Stitt said this experience has him situated well for his new role.
“Aaron has proved to be a steady leader through any challenge,” Stitt said. “As CFO of the State, he has worked carefully to protect our state’s savings, navigate complicated budget issues, and assist agencies to increase accountability and transparency.”
The governor’s office did not directly answer questions from StateImpact about when Morris will replace Bullard in the position. The next governor will have an opportunity to name their own agency head after Stitt’s term ends.
Morris said it is a privilege to continue serving Oklahomans.
“I look forward to returning to OHCA and to working to address the budgetary and regulatory issues that face the agency,” Morris said.
Morris is entering the agency during an era of fiscal uncertainty. The Health Care Authority received only half of its nearly $500 million budgetary increase request during this year's legislative session. Its board recently approved a “razor-thin” budget for the new fiscal year after the agency identified several budget cuts and modifications.
Should the agency need cash flow, it can tap into one-third of its Rate Preservation Fund – which currently sits at about $325 million – with the director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services' approval. But those borrowed dollars would have to be returned to the fund before the end of the state fiscal year.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who requested an independent audit of the agency in April during Bullard’s term, responded to his resignation by attacking Stitt.
In the request, Drummond argued his office has substantial cause to believe the agency is failing to oversee its contracted managed care organizations. The Health Care Authority went from paying providers directly to paying private insurance companies to coordinate some enrollees’ care.
“Clay Bullard's resignation comes after a tenure marked by the same Stitt administration failures my office repeatedly had to confront. Oklahomans were promised managed care would lower costs and improve care. Instead, they got denied claims, delayed payments and a governor more interested in defending out-of-state insurance corporations than the people he serves,” Drummond said in a news release.
“Accountability at OHCA has been a fight this office has had to force, which is not what Oklahomans want or deserve. The agency owes Oklahomans real transparency, and I'll continue to hold it to that standard,” he added.
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