Happenings
Division 34 Celebrates Exemplary Staff
Coach of the Quarter
Sandy Lancaster
Division 34 has named Sandy Lancaster, a lead business analyst, Coach of the Quarter for her outstanding leadership, innovation, and technical expertise during the third quarter of 2025. She has led more than 150 training sessions for new business analysts, playing a pivotal role in developing team talent and enhancing onboarding processes. Her proactive contributions to system upgrades, pilot testing and document validation have improved usability and compliance across several platforms. Sandy also contributed to 11 documented process improvements highlighting her commitment to driving efficiency and collaboration. Her dedication, mentorship and deep knowledge make her a valuable asset to the Technical Support team and Palmetto GBA.
Associate of the Month — July
Ramya Vaddempudi
Ramya Vaddempudi, the July Associate of the Month and senior developer for eCommerce WebApps, is celebrated for her outstanding leadership, technical expertise and dedication to customer service. She has played a key role in enhancing internal systems that support user-facing operations, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to improving both user experience and efficiency. Selected to lead a major system redesign and optimization initiative, Ramya has ensured measurable improvements in performance and usability. Her collaborative nature, mentorship, and ability to align technical solutions with business goals have strengthened her team and fostered a culture of continuous learning. Ramya’s quick problem-solving and commitment to quality consistently minimize disruptions and maintain operational excellence, while her leadership on high-priority projects continues to exceed expectations.
Associate of the Month — August
Doug Wells
Doug Wells, senior developer for the Front-End Systems team, is Associate of the Month for August in recognition of his outstanding technical leadership, mentorship and commitment to excellence. As the lead developer on a special project, Doug consistently delivered high-quality solutions, improved development processes and fostered a collaborative team environment. His calm, solutions-oriented approach under pressure, combined with his ability to clearly communicate complex concepts, enhanced team performance and customer satisfaction. Doug’s strategic mindset, technical expertise and dedication to continuous improvement have made a lasting impact on both his team and the company.
Associate of the Month — September
Jacob Chamberlain
The Associate of the Month for September is Jacob Chamberlain, a developer IV in Medicare Systems. Praised for leading a nine-month special project, he organized and improved how his team stores and names computer files. He worked with two other developers to clean up old folders, create a new naming system and make everything easier to find and use. Jacob also made a helpful guide showing how more than 50 applications are set up, which the team uses to fix problems and make updates. Even while managing this project, he kept up with his regular work and finished tasks on time. His efforts made the system more reliable, reduced common issues and helped new team members learn faster. Thanks to Jacob, the team now works more confidently and has a clear plan for future projects.
Team of the Quarter
Medicare Systems Team
Team members: Jacob Chamberlain, Harold Escotto, Donna Hayden, Russell Johnson, LaDonna Jones, Eric McCartney, Bobby McNeill, Douglas Smith
The Medicare Systems team was named Team of the Quarter for resolving a recurring issue that delayed the delivery of some documents. Two specialized teams, one managing the main system environment and the other handling supporting systems, worked together to resolve the issue. Through outstanding collaboration, they implemented three smart solutions: standardizing server applications for easier maintenance, rescheduling processes to avoid downtime and enhancing reporting tools for faster problem-solving. Their efforts eliminated delays, improved system reliability and restored stakeholder confidence, while demonstrating proactive teamwork, a focus on quality and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Process Improvement of the Quarter
CMS Update on Timeliness for PA/RSNAT Claims Reviews
Team members: Priyanka Baddam, Aditya Deshmukh, Sandeep Reddy Gade, Jim Goodwin, Crystal Haines, Sai Kiran Natti, Jagadish Vattikuti
To align with new Medicare guidelines, the Cognitive Medical Review System team streamlined its review process for Prior Authorization/Repetitive Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport (PA/RSNAT) claims by reducing turnaround time from 10 business days to just three calendar days. This was achieved by shifting to calendar-based calculations and eliminating delays caused by waiting for a unique tracking number, which is not required to complete the review. The result was a faster, more efficient workflow that enabled 283 additional claim reviews, that required 15,800 fewer review hours and significantly reduced operational costs in just seven months. This improvement not only enhanced the provider and beneficiary experience but also set a scalable model for other lines of business, earning its recognition as the Process Improvement of the Quarter.
