Steve Harris of TGH Elevated to Senior Vice President of Payor and Government Affairs

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) announced today the promotion of Steve Harris to senior vice president of payor and government affairs.

“With the expansion of Tampa General’s geographic footprint to deliver world-class care to more families throughout the state of Florida, our advocacy efforts are more important than ever,” said John Couris, president and CEO of TGH. “Steve plays a key role in advocating for TGH and the patients we serve by working closely with our community leaders, elected officials and regulatory agencies to advance policies that promote quality and expand access to health care.”

As senior vice president, Harris will continue to promote policies that enable TGH to deliver high quality, accessible and affordable care among policymakers on the federal and state level, including members of Congress, federal administration officials, members of the Florida Legislature and key stakeholders in Florida’s health care agencies.

In addition, Harris serves as the key liaison for health plans and government payors, including Medicare, Florida Medicaid, and Tricare, and oversees regulatory compliance efforts with federal law, state legislation and regulatory rules.

“ Steve has a keen understanding of the complexities of health care policies, regulations and reimbursement systems,” said Mark Runyon, executive vice president and chief financial officer of TGH. “With his deep knowledge and experience, he is an exceptional advocate for TGH, and that work has greatly contributed to our ability to deliver world-class care and focus on the patients we serve.”

In his new role, Harris will also oversee government relations for new facilities, such as the TGH Rehabilitation Hospital, recent acquisitions from Bravera Health expected to close at the end of this year, and the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital anticipated to open in 2024.

“Tampa General is consistently breaking records, achieving milestones and saving lives. It’s a privilege for me advocate on behalf of one of the nation’s leading academic health systems to our partners in health care and our key stakeholders in government,” said Harris. “By effectively communicating the value of TGH, we’re able to strengthen the quality of world class care we deliver to the people and communities we serve.”

Harris joined the TGH team in 2011. His experience in health care policy spans more than 25 years.

Prior to joining TGH, Harris was a Senior Manager in the KPMG Healthcare Advisory practice. While at KPMG, he worked with the firm’s hospital clients in the review of Medicare and state Medicaid cost reports, performing audit support as a third-party reimbursement specialist, and special reimbursement projects including, graduate medical education, organ acquisition reimbursement, wage index submissions and provider reimbursement appeals.

Harris received a master’s degree in health administration and a master’s in business administration from the University of Florida.