Coach of the Quarter – Owen Pirkle

Owen Pirkle, an Accounting Manager, has had a significant impact on his team through his knowledge and advice. In the first six months of submitting the cost report in 2023, Owen and his staff achieved a 100% performance rating. This high level of performance is a critical component of CMS’ performance evaluations and Palmetto GBA’s performance record.  Owen embraces an open-door policy and fully supports his staff. He is making progress with his new team members as he is easily approachable, has a positive attitude, and is always willing to help. We are pleased to announce Owen as our Division 54 Coach of the Quarter for his dedication to quality and leadership.

Team of the Quarter – EFT/Disbursement Finance Team

The Finance Team, consisting of 9 employees, is responsible for managing Electronic Funds Transfers and Disbursement tasks. This team has been working together for many years, which has resulted in excellent communication and cohesiveness. Each team member is fully aware of their responsibilities and metrics, and they are dedicated to the company's values. They consistently meet and exceed strict metrics every month. The disbursement team oversees reviewing outgoing checks for Jurisdictions J and M A/B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC)and the Railroad Retirement Board Specialty Medicare Administrative Contractor (SMAC). Moreover, the team ensures that all check stock is accounted for through daily and monthly check reconciliations. They have maintained and exceeded a quality standard of 98% for the accuracy rate in processing the reconciliation packets. The team reviews errors and key measurements daily and takes corrective or preventive actions as needed. We are thrilled to announce the EFT/Disbursement Finance Team as our Division 54 Team of the Quarter for their impressive organization and efficiency.

Team Members: Kim Bowers, Mary Bradford, Sherri Gibson, Holli Goodwin, Jamie Lambert, Bridgit Smith, Dionne Thomas, Cindy Turner, and Letitia Warren

Process Improvement of the Quarter – Customer Experience Survey – Finance & Accounting

A team of five experienced Business Analysts has been designated to work with the provider call center on inquiries received daily through the internal tracking system. In the past year, the finance and accounting team received and closed an average of 200 inquiries each month. Customers frequently call or email management to express their satisfaction with how quickly the team resolves their issues. To better document customer feedback, a new process has been implemented, involving requesting providers and customers to complete a customer experience survey on the Palmetto GBA website.

Once the inquiry is closed, an email is sent to the customer, including the survey link. Since the implementation of this process, there has been a lot of positive feedback and results. These surveys are included in monthly management reporting, which is seen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Thanks to the team's hard work and ability to gather positive feedback from customers, we are better able to understand how our processes improve customer satisfaction and for that, we are thrilled to announce this team as our Division 54 Process Improvement of the Quarter.

Team Members: Melissa Cash, Jennifer Catoe, Barbara Evans, Heather Hastings, Martha Roberts, and Patrick Strait

Associate of the Month (April) – Savannah Tolonese

Savannah Tolonese, a dedicated Accountant II, strives to provide exceptional customer service both internally and externally. Her responsibilities include preparing the financial statements and monthly deliverables for the Railroad Specialty Medicare Administrative Contractor (RRB SMAC) certification. Additionally, she acts as the primary contact for Jurisdiction M Part A inquiries for the Chief Financial Officer Reporting.

Recently, Savannah reviewed settlement requests and discovered a discrepancy in an Amended Cost Report. She maintained clear communication with the requestor and approver throughout the process, resulting in a corrected request. Savannah also utilized this opportunity to introduce the Amended Accepted Cost Report Calculator, which ensures accurate collection of Medicare funds from providers. Dhara Patel, the Audit Supervisor, expressed her pride and admiration for Savannah's dedication and commitment to meeting team goals, stating, "I am very proud of Savannah." Congratulations to Savannah for being named our Division 54 Associate of the Month.

Associate of the Month (May) – Omar Haygood

Omar Haygood, an Accountant I, has been a key member of the Finance and Accounting team for four years. Omar is known for his hard work, positive attitude, and willingness to help others. He's also great at embracing change and adapting his schedule to meet challenges.

One of Omar's primary responsibilities is handling Railroad Board Quality Control for the Finance and Accounting team. He's also responsible for preparing the monthly Jurisdiction J (JJ) Part B deliverables, which include certification of financial statements, cash collections, and non-cash reconciliations. He evaluates and maintains the JM Refund Offset Database as its principal reviewer. These tasks are crucial in providing accurate and timely functionality to meet the Chief Financial officer (CFO) Reporting team's key measures.

Recently, Omar played a crucial role in testing EPIC 0013042 in VLD3. This update is essential in updating Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System (HIGLAS) functionality. Omar's outstanding work ethic and dedication to his job have earned him the title of Division 54 Associate of the Month. Congratulations, Omar!

Associate of the Month (June) – Ganyson Oliver

Ganyson Oliver, an experienced Accountant II always strives to be a team player and offer assistance when needed. With a great level of efficiency in his work, he takes pride in ensuring that every project he works on has quality checks and measures in place. Ganyson goes the extra mile to gather all the necessary information to guarantee the accuracy of his work when collaborating on other projects.

Recently, Ganyson made a significant contribution to the SS3 allocation spreadsheet process improvement by streamlining the multi-process, multi-system approach into a simplified Excel format using Power Query, reducing the time it takes to complete. He has also consistently been part of teams responsible for creating other process improvements.

We are proud to announce that Ganyson has been named our Division 54 Associate of the Month. Congratulations, Ganyson, for your outstanding work and dedication!