Jon R. Ewing, chief operating officer at the Women’s Clinic in Jackson, Tennessee, stands at the crossroads of patient care and policy, translating one world into the language of the other. In his role as Legislative Liaison for Tennessee MGMA (TMGMA), Ewing’s clear, steady approach ensures that advocacy is rooted in relationships and responsive to the realities of care delivery.  

At events such as Tennessee’s “Doc on the Hill,” Ewing and his colleagues brief lawmakers on current healthcare issues — part of broader work that earned him the honor of the 2025 MGMA Legislative Liaison of the Year, for which he will be recognized at the 2025 MGMA Leaders Conference in Orlando. 

His fieldwork draws on a steady pipeline of information, much of it supported by MGMA Government Affairs through national briefings and regular calls with other state legislative liaisons.  

“MGMA is really good about telling us what’s happening out there,” Ewing noted. On a recent call, for example, nine out of 10 attendees said their practices were dedicating extra staff time to prior authorizations. Ewing carries those signals back to Tennessee: sharing them with local chapters, speaking at state conferences, and even opening sessions with a “civics lesson” on how a bill becomes law to show administrators where and how they can plug in. 

The conversations in Nashville get specific fast. Ewing often grounds discussions in women’s health economics to make the stakes unmistakable.  

“We were talking about the reimbursement for a delivery of a baby,” he recalled, pointing out the “pitiful” rate at which the state’s Medicaid pays providers. Legislators are often surprised by the large gap between commercial and Medicaid rates — and by the cash-flow reality of obstetric care.  

“All of the prenatal care doesn’t get paid until the delivery happens … sometimes the amount that you’re paid barely covers the cost of the nurses that were attending the doctors,” Ewing explained. 

For him, reimbursement isn’t just about spreadsheets — it’s about access and workforce.  

“I’ve got to recruit physicians into my practice… I want to keep the Tennessee doctors here,” he said. But when new medical graduates see better reimbursement rates in other states, they leave — a trend Tennessee can’t afford. “That’s one small snippet of things that we do as advocates … trying to make a difference in healthcare.” 

His advocacy style is deliberately bipartisan and patient-first.  

“The only position that I take is one on the side of healthcare,” he said. That stance shapes how he prepares and how he shows up in legislators’ offices, where time is short and agendas are packed.  

“You go in and find common ground, and once you get empathy — where both of you are understanding — then push your agenda,” Ewing said. “When you make a difference is when you get in touch with them with something that is going to affect you and your family.” 

Ewing blends macro trends with practice-level stories. He tracks demographic and workforce shifts — such as the looming physician shortage nationwide — because they shape everything from payment policy to staffing.  

 “Our baby boomers … will all be in Medicare age by 2030,” he noted, with the eligible population expected to rise from 68 million to 80 million. His message to leaders: Strategically plan beyond the immediate ledger. “Don’t just look at balancing a budget today,” Ewing cautioned. “I call it a chess game … you’re thinking five or six moves out.” 

That systems view is grounded in a career that spans hospitals and ambulatory care. After starting in hospital administration and consulting, Ewing moved into clinic leadership 18 years ago. Today, he adds a regional perspective as executive director of an independent physicians’ alliance serving about 25 clinics in and around Jackson. Those vantage points help him triangulate how policies affect clinics, from revenue cycle impacts to recruitment and retention. 

He credits mentorship for his start in the liaison role and aims to pay it forward.  

“I really learned everything from [former TMGMA legislative liaison] Misty Hickman, who was my mentor,” Ewing said. “A professor told me one time that leaders create leaders — and that is kind of the ethos that we try to live by.” 

For peers considering a role as a legislative liaison, his encouragement is straightforward.  

“Don’t be afraid and don’t cower away from the word ‘legislature,’” Ewing said. “Even if you’ve not had any government experience … they want people [who] can tell them true stories” and bring the passion they already have for these issues.  

The throughline, he adds, is advocacy: “You’re an advocate for the patient. You’re an advocate for your providers … in this role, you’re an advocate for improvement in healthcare.” 

Ewing also offers a practical playbook for building credibility and momentum inside your state: 

• Start where you have influence — local chapters and state meetings — and bring administrators together around shared pain points.  
• Share clean, specific stories that illuminate policy gaps.  
• Keep the tone constructive.  
• When you sit across from a lawmaker, connect the dots to their constituents’ lived experience — whether it is OB reimbursement making it harder to keep doctors in-state, prior authorizations tying up staff time, or an aging population that will stress every clinical schedule.  

“Let’s make a better world,” he said. “Think about … moves for 2040, 2050.” 

As for the award recognition, Ewing’s gratitude is plain and personal. Being named Legislative Liaison of the Year is “very honorable … flattering,” he said, and still a little surreal. But then he pivoted back to the purpose. “We do it because we love to make a difference in a profession that we’re passionate about.” 

Resources

• MGMA Government Affairs – Stay current on federal and state policy issues, and access advocacy toolkits to support your practice.
• MGMA Washington Connection newsletter – Biweekly updates from MGMA’s Government Affairs team on legislative and regulatory developments.
• MGMA Advocacy Resources Library – Practical briefs, policy issue summaries, and template letters you can adapt when engaging with lawmakers.
• MGMA Leaders Conference 2025 – Join peers, policy experts, and practice leaders in Orlando, September 28–October 1, to collaborate on the future of medical group management. Register now. 
• MGMA Stat – Participate in quick polls on pressing practice management issues and see how your peers are responding.