COLOMBIA – South Carolina’s Medicaid agency chief financial officer will temporarily run the department, Governor Henry McMaster announced on Wednesday.
The governor appointed Thomas Clark Phillip Jr. as acting director of the agency that provides health insurance for nearly 1.4 million people in South Carolina.
He replaces Joshua Baker, whose last day is officially Monday. Baker resigned three weeks ago.
Phillip, 70, joined the state Department of Health and Environmental Control in October 2019. His 35-year career in health finance includes nearly four years as vice president of finance at Molina Healthcare in South Carolina, a position he left in 2017 to become chief financial officer of Vaya Health in North Carolina.
McMaster said Phillip, who lives in Richland County, has the experience to lead the agency during his leadership transition. The governor promises to work with lawmakers to find a permanent replacement. The Senate will have to approve McMaster’s selection for a permanent director.
Two weeks ago, the board of the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control selected a career military officer as its nominee to lead the agency that is handling the state’s pandemic response.
The vote for Dr. Edward Simmer could fill a position that has been vacant for six months. But the Senate must also confirm the choice of the council. Confirmation hearings are expected to begin after the Legislature returns next week.
Follow Seanna Adcox on Twitter at @seannaadcox_pc.