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2006 TXRPC Annual Meeting Participant Biographies

Accreditation and Quality Standards Panel

• Bob Floro -- Senior Associate Director for the Home Care Program, JCAHO

Bob Floro is the Senior Associate Director for the Home Care Program at the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. He has also served the Joint Commission as a surveyor, specializing in Home Medical Equipment, Clinical Respiratory and Rehabilitation Technology. With over 30 years in health care, Floro has held positions of executive vice president of a monthly medical publication, owner and general manager of several home medical equipment organizations, director of several respiratory care and cardiopulmonary departments, and Associate Professor with the College of Allied Health at the University of Kentucky. He is a licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner in Kentucky, and registered with the National Board for Respiratory Care.

• Mary Nicholas -- Executive Director of Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA)

Mary Nicholas is the Executive Director of Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA) in Waterloo, Iowa. HQAA, is a nonprofit corporation and offers a paradigm shift in the accreditation process by providing a paperless, web-based product for home medical equipment dealers across the nation.  Prior to this position, Mary was the Vice-President of Operations for Homelink ®, the managed care division of VGM & Associates.  Mary graduated from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa, in 1999, with a Master of Healthcare Administration Degree.  Mary has been a member of the American Society for Quality since December of 1999 and a senior member since April 2005.  Additional memberships include AAHomecare and The Iowa Quality Center. 

• Timothy L. Safley, MBA, RRT, RCP -- Accreditaion Commission for Health Care (ACHC)

"HME executive with over 30 years of experience, ACHC surveyor, and HME business consultant specializing in operations, accreditation and business development"

Timothy L. Safley, MBA, RRT, RCP, has over three decades of experience in the respiratory care profession, including twenty-five years in the HME industry. Tim was the Regional Vice President for a national home care company for over twelve years, and is currently the HME Advisor for the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.

Tim is a graduate of the Durham Technical Community College's Respiratory Care program, and received his MBA from Elon University. He has published several papers on product development and management protocols to enhance the profitability of the HME industry.  

Tim has a great track record with preparing HME companies for successful accreditation. Tim also has extensive experience with guiding HME companies in the start-up phase of several product lines, and with resolving accounts receivable concerns.

Program Advisory and Oversight Committee for Quality Standards and Competitive Acquisition of DMEPOS

• Cara Bachenheimer, JD -- Vice President of Government Relations, Invacare Corporation

Cara C. Bachenheimer is Vice President of Government Relations for Invacare where she is responsible for the company’s federal lobbying activities with Congress, the Administration and the federal regulatory agencies. Ms. Bachenheimer has been closely involved with the home medical equipment industry for almost 20 years.

Prior to joining Invacare in October 2003, Cara was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the National Health Law Practice of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. She specialized in legislative and regulatory matters arising under the Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payment programs. Ms. Bachenheimer also practiced n the firm’s Health Care Fraud Practice Group and counseled clients on Medicare and other health care compliance issues, and lobbied Congress and regulatory agencies on her clients’ behalf. Ms. Bachenheimer focused her practice on regulatory, federal legislative, government relations and HIPAA matters for ancillary service providers such as home medical equipment suppliers, retail pharmacies, home health care providers as well as medical device manufacturers, distributors and other companies involved in the health care industry. She also assisted drug and device manufacturers in navigating complex coding, coverage and reimbursement challenges faced by their new technologies.

Ms. Bachenheimer has over 10 years experience in national coalition and association management covering all functions, including government relations.  Ms. Bachenheimer held the position of Vice President, Member Services for the American Association for Homecare (the national trade association for home health care providers).  Prior to that position, Ms. Bachenheimer spent 10 years with the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) where she held the positions Vice President, Membership Services; Executive Director, Home Care and Long Term Care; and Director, Government Relations.  During her tenure with HIDA, Ms. Bachenheimer represented HIDA members’ interests before Congress, the Health Care Financing Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Food and Drug Administration.  In 1999, Home Medical Equipment News cited Ms. Bachenheimer as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential People in the HME Industry.”

Ms. Bachenheimer received her law degree from Georgetown University and her undergraduate degree from Trinity College in Connecticut. She is a member of the American Bar Association, American Health Lawyers Association and Women in Government Relations. Ms. Bachenheimer is admitted to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

• Rita Hostak -- Vice President of Government Relations, Sunrise Medical

Rita Hostak has been employed by Sunrise Medical since 1982.  She has twenty four years of experience in the home healthcare industry.  Ranging from sales and sales management to government relations.  She has thirteen years of experience involving the regulatory and legislative side of reimbursement. Rita is the current president of the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) and serves on the Regulatory Committee at the American Association for Homecare and is the co-chair of the CMS Program Advisory and Oversight Committee regarding competitive bidding.

• Dave Kazynski -- President Homelink Division, VGM

 

HHSC and TMHP panel discussion of current Texas Medicaid issues

• Andrea Daniell -- Provider Relations Representative with Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership

Andrea Daniell is a Provider Relations Representative with Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership.  She has 14 years of combined experience in payment and billing operations.  She has developed and facilitated training for providers and their staff in policy and procedures, software technology, billing, claims submission and appeals.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders from Southwest Texas State University and a Master’s Degree in Health Services Management from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.

Washington's Impact on Texas Rehab / DME

• Don Clayback -- Senior Vice President of Networks for The MED Group

Don Clayback is Senior Vice President of Networks for The MED Group.  He has direct responsibility for MED’s National Rehab Network, as well as overseeing its National Respiratory and Certified Repair Center Networks.

Don has over 20 years of experience in the HME and Rehab industry.  He is actively involved in industry issues and serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) and is a Steering Committee member of Restore Access to Mobility Partnership (RAMP).  Prior to joining MED in 2002, he served as an industry consultant for 7 years and previous to that held the position of Vice President at two HME companies.  His pre-industry career was as a CPA with the accounting and consulting firm of Price Waterhouse.

Medicare Wheelchairs, Funding, and Audits Paperwork Seminar

• Peggy Walker, RN -- Billing & Reimbursement Advisor for US Rehab a Division of VGM

Peggy Walker is the Billing & Reimbursement Advisor for US Rehab, a Division of VGM (Waterloo, Iowa). Peggy works out of her home office in Blythewood, SC assisting US Rehab, VGM, Nationwide Respiratory & OPGA members with pre-pay review of Rehab claims and other Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement issues. Peggy speaks at state and national association meetings and is especially interested in assisting her members with the difficult process of learning about processing of high end Rehab claims for all 4 DMERC Regional Carriers. She worked with the Region C DMERC as lead nurse in Post Pay review and assisted with development of coverage criteria for wheelchairs, CPMs and other medical policies. She is currently a member of Region C Council, the Education A team leader for Region C, RATC council for AAH. She is very active with state associations, state Medicaids, manufacturers, and private pay insurances in assisting them with training programs for high end Rehab equipment and other reimbursement issues.

Q&A session on Accreditation with Consultant Catherine Clinehens

• Catherine Clinehens

Power Wheelchair Manufacturer Seminars

• Julianna Arva, MS, ATP -- Pediatric Product Specialist for Permobil Inc.

Her tasks include education, product development, support, marketing, and coordination of all pediatric activities within Permobil, Inc. She graduated with her Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Rehabilitation Science and Technology. She has years of clinical experience as a rehabilitation engineer in seating and mobility for adults and children. She published her research in peer reviewed journals, contributed to many trade magazines, authored position papers, lectured extensively on national conferences and presented numerous seminars internationally.

• Michael Babinec, OTR/L, ATP, ABDA -- Product Manager for Power Wheelchair Electronics for the Invacare Corporation

Michael Babinec, OTR/L, ATP, ABDA, is a licensed Occupational Therapist with over 25 years experience in Rehabilitation, Seating and Mobility. He is currently Product Manager for Power Wheelchair Electronics for the Invacare Corporation, a RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Practitioner, and Senior Disability Analyst / Diplomate on the American Board of Disability Analysts. He has authored seminars and lectured both Internationally and throughout the U.S. for workshops, conferences and symposiums on subjects including Seating & Positioning, Custom Seating, Power and Manual Mobility, Reimbursement Issues and Clinical Application. In addition, he has written several articles on Seating and Mobility for Industry publications.

• Jay Brislin, MSPT -- General Manager Rehab Applications/Custom Group Quantum® Rehab/Pride Mobility Products Corporation

Jay joined Pride Mobility Products Corp. in July 2000, serving as an Inside Quantum Support Specialist. In March of 2002, Jay joined the growing ranks of the Quantum Education Department with the primary duty of educating and training the Quantum Representatives along with being a main presenter for Pride/Quantum’s annual Seminar Tour. Jay has been a presenter of many product specific and non-product specific seminars throughout the United States and Canada.  As of November 2004, Jay’s role has expanded to General Manager Rehab Applications/Custom Group.  His current responsibilities include developing a customer centric Custom Rehab Team that provides sales support and R&D feedback.  Jay focuses on the education of sales representatives, providers, and therapists on all aspects of our product line as well as making the industry aware of the endless Rehab capabilities and solutions of the Quantum Rehab Division and the Custom Group. He is a member of Pride’s product development team responsible for the design and implementation of power mobility products highlighting function and safety for all users. Jay graduated from College Misericordia in Dallas, PA, with a master’s degree in Physical Therapy.  He is also a Friend of NRRTS and member of RESNA.

Some of Jay’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Providing rehab sales support with the ability to develop Custom Rehab Solutions

• Oversee a talented group of Custom specialists that will think outside of the box, to develop, create, modify, or fabricate a truly custom solution for an individual.
• Featured presenter/speaker at numerous seminars and trade shows throughout the United States and Canada.
• Developing presentations and curriculum for trade shows and educational events
• Field contact to R&D (Research & Development) in regards to new product and product improvement along with providing industry feedback, needs, and suggestions.
• Provides R&D with clinical and functional input during product development.
• Works closely with therapists to gain feedback and suggestions on current and future products in order for Pride/Quantum to continue to be on the cutting edge of the rehab industry.

• Todd Novak, OTR -- Account Manager-Sunrise Medical

  Todd received his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University in 1992 and his Occupational Therapy degree from UTMB at Galveston in 1995.  He spent 5 years as an Occupational Therapist on the Spinal Cord Injury Program at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) in Houston.  There he was responsible for evaluating and prescribing all manual and power wheelchairs for his patients.  He then moved from the clinical side of equipment to the dealer side for 2 years, followed by his current employment with Sunrise Medical.  He spent his first 1 ½ years as a Rehab Specialist with Sunrise Medical and has been an Account Manager for the past 2 ½ years.  He is now on the Advanced Power Team for Quickie, which allows him to do more education with dealers across the South.