ATLANTA – It’s been the hot topic for a number of years now, and to provide Medtrade attendees with the best resources available in the industry, the Medtrade Education Advisory Board decided to approach it differently this year.

The Audit Power Panel will be an in-depth panel discussion with some of the industry’s most well-known audit experts. Each member of the panel deals with CMS audits on a daily basis, and as a result, has a plethora of knowledge and expertise to share with attendees as well as unique perspectives on navigating through this environment of strict regulatory oversight.  

The panel includes: Denise Leard, attorney with Brown & Fortunato; Sarah Hannah, vice president of ECS Billing and Consulting; Stephanie Morgan Green, chief consulting office and general counsel with AccuServe; and myself, founder and president of The van Halem Group.

The topics discussed will include tips on responding to audits and submitting appeals as well as a discussion on the current focus of audit contractors and common errors. We will educate attendees on how to deal with a significant overpayment if that occurs, specifically, what are your options and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The panel will also provide an update on what the audit environment looks like and what suppliers can expect to see in the future. This is important because there is action occurring in legislation as well as programs being offered by the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals attempting to reduce the appeal backlog. While the forecast may be a bit bleak, it’s not all bad news and regardless, knowledge is power. An informed and proactive supplier can manage the process and minimize the impact it may have on their operations.  

Once the panel discussion ends, the panel will break into different groups along with other representatives from Brown and Fortunato, The van Halem Group, and ECS Billing & Consulting to provide an even more intimate option to address questions and concerns.

The panel includes a power team with a diverse background, including attorneys, consultants, and former Medicare auditors and appeal adjudicators. With such a wide range of expertise, it will certainly provide a unique opportunity for attendees to have an open discussion of best practices, gets tips and tools, and most importantly, ask questions and get responses from several unique perspectives.

This panel is on the front line fighting with suppliers on a regular basis and collectively, they have had a lot of success doing so. Click Here for days and times of the panel.

Wayne H. van Halem, CFE, AHFI, is president of The van Halem Group – A Division of VGM Group Inc, Atlanta.