Happenings
M Team Announces Outstanding Associates for Q2
Associate of the Month — April
Karketa Major
Karketa Major is an extremely organized customer service coordinator who seeks out learning opportunities and shares new information with her team, making her a great asset to the Provider Contact Center (PCC). Named Associate of the Month for April, Karketa is valued for being flexible, skilled at multitasking and committed to accuracy. She has great listening skills and takes note of team member’s questions. She uses the information to create job aids and training materials to help ensure her team meets quality metrics. Karketa uses her extensive knowledge to answer complicated questions with detailed step-by-step instructions. She is an outstanding associate who exceeds quality objectives by efficiently delivering high-quality outcomes.
Associate of the Month — May
Ashlee Lasecki
Since July of 2023, shortly after joining the Provider Enrollment (PE) Department, Ashlee Lasecki has been the top performer in her department for processing more than 4,000 applications, averaging 484 a month. In addition to producing quality work, she has been a mentor to her peers and providers praise her exemplary work and communication. On several occasions, her peers have nominated her for the departmental designation ‘PE Professor,’ someone with a deep understanding of PE who they can rely on for answers and direction. Recently promoted to a business analyst I, Ashlee has exceeded expectations and is the May Associate of the Month.
Associate of the Month – June
Cheryl Hutcheson
During the second quarter, several providers were having difficulty submitting recently requested audit documentation through our eServices portal. Cheryl Hutcheson, an auditor II in Audit and Reimbursement helped them work through their technological challenges and provided them with her customary superior provider service. This was not the only reason Cheryl was named the June Associate of the Month. She is also valued for her ability to identify areas that need improvement and then propose or seek solutions and improvements. Cheryl recently contributed to a process improvement by proposing a solution that accurately performs a rate calculation for providers and eliminates the need for staff to calculate rates every year.
Coach of the Quarter
Melita Stroud
As the Reimbursement Department headed into its busiest cost-reporting time of the year, it also was preparing for six summer interns to join the team. Melita Stroud, a business analyst I, was challenged with the task of managing the interns and leading the cost-reporting team. Undaunted, Melita trained the interns on the work they would do along with background on Medicare. After setting expectations, she paired each intern with an experienced staff member to provide one-on-one guidance. Melita ensured her cost-reporting team was successful during its busy season by recognizing the strengths of her team members and then putting them to work. Ultimately, she was successful because of her forethought, careful planning and a willingness to support her team.
Team of the Quarter
Provider Audit Reopening Team
Team members: Marcia Austin, Chip Cantrell, Laura Canup, Angie Faulds, Lori Fisher, Tom Harrington, Marquette Johnson, James Martin, Josh Michalski, Tremayne Nunley, Vonetta Prince, Uday Ponkshe, Lamont Porter and Robert Sanford
In early 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a requirement to review 165 old audit files that had been on hold, some for many years with a completion date of early September. A team was selected to complete the reviews and they got to work on what was expected to be difficult because of the age of the files, software upgrades and a host of other challenges. Much to everyone’s surprise, the team completed the project ahead of schedule. helped and shared best practices with one another to. In recognition of their outstanding efforts, willingness to help one each other and share best practices, they have been named Team of the Quarter.
Process Improvement of the Quarter
Supplemental Security Income Remands Template
Team members: Michele Anderson, Cecile Huggins, Jessica Jackson and Angela Johnson
Prior to the implementation of this process improvement, auditors used an established, document-heavy process to reopen and review remanded claims. The process included three templates and a minimum of 12 workpaper series with at least 20 individual workpapers. Many of these documents were not required or necessary.
Four members of the Provider Audit and Reimbursement Department created an alternative, streamlined solution in a single workbook. Their Supplemental Security Income Remands Template, the division’s Process Improvement of the Quarter, eliminates unnecessary steps and saves time and money.
