Fired group exec says criticism of governor was satirical

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A hospital association spokesman has been fired after criticizing Gov. Kim Reynolds’ handling of Medicaid privatization.

The Des Moines Register reports that Thomas “Scott” McIntyre was dismissed from his post as vice president of communications for the Iowa Hospital Association after his personal, nonpublic Facebook post in March. He said at a Sept. 30 state unemployment hearing that his post was satirical and intentionally over the top in what he described as “Donald Trump language.”

He says the post rubbed a “small but powerful group” of the association’s members the wrong way.

Critics of the privatization say it’s cut services for disabled Iowans and hasn’t delivered millions of dollars in payments and reimbursements to health care providers.

The records say McIntyre won his unemployment appeal.