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ELEVATE 2021

Elevate 2021 - Virtual Healthcare Leadership Conference
Virtual Leadership Conference - ELEVATE 2021

Join Us December 9 - 10, 2021

Join us for ELEVATE, a Leadership Conference by AAPC. This will be a virtual-only conference dedicated to career development and helping individuals who work in the healthcare business learn what they can do to enhance their skill sets and advance their careers. There will be three dedicated tracks, all custom-tailored for individuals at various points in their careers (click the “Agenda” tab above for more information on tracks).

Whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned professional, you can expand your knowledge and get practical, “boots on the ground” advice on how to advance in your career by attending. And like all our conferences, ELEVATE offers a great opportunity to earn CEUs and network with colleagues.

12 CEUs | 3 Tracks, 7 Sessions each + Networking Happy Hour | Virtual Only

Pricing: ($545) $545

Register Today

We have 3 dedicated tracks: Newcomers, Advanced, and Startups. Participants are intended to attend one of the 3 tracks from start to finish as each session builds off the previous session.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

General Session

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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, MST | 1.00 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

GS1: Culture Index Introduction

Jason Williford

Top Performing Organizations Require Real Data To Make Real People Decisions. Today that data is laser accurate and quickly obtainable. No longer is procuring and leading talent subjective. No longer are you dependent solely on opinions. You have the resources to make smarter people decisions with objective, fact-based analytics and benchmarking to drive exponential results.

Breakout Session 1

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10:15 AM - 11:30 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 1A: Understand Your Leadership Style

MariaRita Genovese, CPC

Successful leaders have a style that is unique to them, developed over time through a variety of experiences. Great leaders motivate, inspire, and encourage those they lead to better themselves and the people around them. Discover different leadership styles, and learn how your leadership style impacts the people around you. Plus, explore how to more effectively lead people with styles that differ from your own.

10:15 AM - 11:30 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 1B: Diversity and Inclusion: Taking an Active Role

Kathy Burkhardt, MSL, RHIA

Being a leader includes avoiding unconscious bias in the workplace. Identify steps that will support this goal, specifically within the recruitment and hiring phase, and learn how to implement those steps. Explore how to increase your organization’s cultural competence, enabling effective work in cross-cultural situations. And get practical guidance on how to optimize the power of a diverse team.

10:15 AM - 11:30 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 1C: Developing a Business Plan

Stephanie Cecchini CHISP, CPC, CEMC

Learn how to put the Earn in your Entrepreneurship using 3 simple hacks that can help you turn your business idea into a successful money maker. Creating a business plan is an opportunity to determine your goals for your business and how to achieve those goals. Start with describing your business, including products, services, management, and staffing. Then dive deeper, analyzing your competition and identifying how you will market and sell what you have to offer. You also need to develop your financial analysis, including startup and future projections. This session will teach you about business plans so you can make one that meets your needs.

Breakout Session 2

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12:30 PM - 1:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 2A: Business Writing: Communicate Effectively and Professionally

Kristen Viviano, MHA, CPC, CRC

Business writing can be the key to convincing others of your ideas, enhancing your reputation, and even protecting your healthcare organization by showing a commitment to professionalism and compliance. But this form of writing requires a skillset that may differ from what you studied in school. Master what you should and should not do when undertaking business writing. Examples will include drafting professional emails and creating business policies and procedures.

12:30 PM - 1:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 2B: Change Management Strategies and Tools

Michele M Stevens, CPC, CPMA

Managing change and development is hard. It requires consistent goals and communication. Accountability is the key. Prepare for success by learning proven strategies for effectively managing change. This session will include concrete advice on how to engage even your toughest critics and practical tools you can use to hold your teams accountable.

12:30 PM - 1:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 2C: Financial Planning for Business Owners

Scott Morrison

When you own a business, understanding your part of the healthcare world is not enough. You must be well-versed in the financial aspects of business ownership, too. Explore how to set your business goals. Find out how to identify funding options while maintaining cash reserves. Learn strategies to manage taxes, liability, and overhead. Plus, delve into what risk tolerance is and how to determine yours.

Breakout Session 3

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2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 3A: Identify and Cultivate Your Leadership Qualities

Astara N Crews, CPC, CPEDC

Many key leadership qualities are learned and improved over time, such as effective communication, goal setting, and strategic thinking. Successful leaders demonstrate these qualities in their personal and professional lives, inspiring others to take action and set a course for future success. Strong leaders also practice key behaviors on a regular basis to strengthen the positive impact of these qualities. Gain insight into these leadership qualities, and take away actionable tips on how to develop and advance them for yourself.

2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 3B: Transformative Leadership for Today’s Healthcare

Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, Approved-Instructor

Healthcare organizations are changing, and transforming your leadership is necessary to stay relevant. More and more of our efforts need to be placed into patient engagement and building community. Many patients and employees are looking to see what you offer the community and want to feel like they belong to something. Build your patient base and retain better employees by evaluating new trends in delivery methods, incorporating servitude leadership, knowing what it means to consistently communicate your "for," and engaging employees and patients to transform your outcomes.

2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 3C: Master the Art of Marketing

Bevan Erickson, AAPC CEO

Assuming you can deliver something of value, that people want or need, at a price point their willing to pay (and at which you can maintain profitability), marketing is the key driver of your success and the greatest liability against failure. Come gain a primer on this critical component of your strategic business plan. While complex in its many facets, disciplines, and tactics, we’ll break it down to the fundamentals and give your business a solid foundation for success.

Breakout Session 4

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4:00 PM - 5:15 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 4A: Exceed Your Team’s Expectations of a Leader

Angela C Boynton, COC, CPC, CPCO, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I

Shore up your skills in the top areas teams use to assess leaders. First, creating realistic and quantifiable goals paves the way for a sense of accomplishment in employees. Review how to present goals so the team can act on and achieve them. Next, understanding your team members so you can bring out the best in them is crucial to leadership. Get practical tips on recognizing and addressing different needs. Finally, constructive communication is a key expectation of a successful leader, and it is also the hardest to achieve. Take away proven strategies for clearer, more productive exchanges.

4:00 PM - 5:15 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 4B: Train for Crucial Conversations, From Preparation to Results

MariaRita Genovese, CPC

Tough conversations are a reality of leadership. Know how to prepare so you will be in the right frame of mind to address the real issues at hand. Consider the importance of dialogue, the free flow of meaning between people so they talk openly and honestly with each other. Grasp how to set up conditions to talk about almost anything. Then hone your understanding of different types of decision-making strategies so you can use crucial conversations to move toward action and results.

4:00 PM - 5:15 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 4C: Panel: Pros and Cons of Starting Your Own Business

Jaci J. Kipreos, COC, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CEMC; Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, Approved-Instructor

Benefit from the experience of our experts as they discuss what it’s really like starting a business. Discover the path you should take to decide the right legal business structure, such as an LCC. Learn about marketing your business and acquiring clients. Dig into what financial stability means when you are your own boss. And get insights into planning and strategy, which are your responsibility as the owner. Review how to prepare, use, revise, and follow short-term and long-term planning.

Friday, December 10, 2021

General Session

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9:00 AM - 10:15 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

GS2: Pathway to Leadership Panel

Adrienne Lloyd, MHA, FACHE; Kathleen Michele Rowland, BSN, RN, CHC, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC; Stephanie Cecchini CHISP, CPC, CEMC; Raemarie Jimenez, CPC, CDEO, CIC, CPB, CPMA, CPPM, CPC-I, CANPC, CRHC; MariaRita Genovese, CPC

Breakout Session 5

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10:30 AM - 11:45 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 5A: Elevate Your Communication Style: Talking to the C-Suite

Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, Approved-Instructor

You need to make the most of your communications with upper-level leadership. Time is often limited, and communications must be tailored so that you get the attention and results you need. Overcommunicating can hurt your results just as easily as undercommunicating. Avoid these struggles by learning the personality styles of C-Suite individuals and how those styles align (or don’t) with yours. Then discover how to use that information to personalize your communications so they have more impact and lead to better outcomes.

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 5B: Creating a Growth Culture

Adrienne Lloyd, MHA, FACHE

In a growth culture, people acknowledge insecurities and shortcomings rather than unconsciously acting on them. How people feel — and make other people feel — becomes as important as how much they know. Lead this growth culture by comparing individual and organizational components, grasping the requirements for developing growth culture, and establishing the proper leadership mindset for growth. Get inspiration from successful growth culture examples.

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Tracks 3 (Startups) - 5C: Selecting the Right Legal Business Structure

Michael D Miscoe, Esq, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, CASCC, CCPC, CUC

Understand the advantages and disadvantages of different business structures based on your business model, including sole proprietorship, partnership, LLP, PLLP, LLC, PLLC, and Inc. Review the basic tax filing election options associated with each business structure, and determine whether you need attorneys, accountants, and financial planners for your business.

Breakout Session 6

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12:45 PM - 2:00 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 6A: 5 Interview Strategies for Hiring Your Dream Team

Colleen Gianatasio, CPC, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I

Hiring a team is one of the most important decisions a leader can make. Finding the right mix of individuals affects morale, productivity, employee turnover, and more. Yet hiring decisions are often made based on very brief interactions. This session will teach you effective interviewing techniques that will ensure you are making the best hiring choices for your team.

12:45 PM - 2:00 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 6B: Focus on Finance and Budgeting

Jordan Goldberger

Healthcare organizations look for leaders who understand, participate in, and keep a focus on budgeting. Take this chance to review the essentials of creating an operational budget. Grasp the differences between capital and operating budgets, and get a handle on the main components. Plus, gain a clearer understanding of a profit and loss statement.

12:45 PM - 2:00 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 6C: A Practical Guide to Client Communication

Jaci J. Kipreos, COC, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CEMC

Remember three elements to mirror your business model in your communication to clients: tone, timing, and talking the talk. Strategies like templates and guides allow you to convey a consistent message. This session will help you develop your best sales pitch and prepare your messages for problem resolution. Plus, we’ll evaluate strategies for successful two-way communication, including learning your customers’ needs, how to express your limits, and when to back away from a project.

Breakout Session 7

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2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 1 (Newcomers) - 7A: How to Be a Leader (Without the Title)

Colleen Gianatasio, CPC, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I

Join this interactive and engaging session to learn how we all can be leaders regardless of our current titles. Opportunities to lead present themselves every day, and you need to know how to recognize and make the most of them. Start by understanding the specific behaviors that define a leader, so you can put them into practice. You don't have to wait for that perfect role or title to come along. We will show you how to start leading now!

2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 2 (Pros) - 7B: Healthcare Analytics as a Management Tool

Jordan Goldberger

The importance of analytics is growing and changing for decision support in market share, RVU allocation, yearly budgeting, quality scoring, and measuring revenue. Analytics increases the visibility of daily or monthly operations, and it provides a snapshot in real time to gauge industry performance. Find out how to put analytics to work for your healthcare organization.

2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

Track 3 (Startups) - 7C: Leadership and the Art of Negotiation

Jeremy Schow

Coming to an agreement with others is not always easy, but the same skills that make you a great leader can make you a great negotiator, too! Get ready to turn your cameras on for this interactive session. We’ll show you how to apply your leadership skills in a variety of scenarios so you’ll know exactly what to focus on in your next negotiation.

General Session

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4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, MST | 1.25 CEUs COC, CPC, CPC-P, CPB, CPPM

GS3: Networking Virtual Happy Hour

Adrienne Palmer Lloyd, MHA, FACHE

Adrienne Palmer Lloyd, MHA, FACHE

Adrienne Palmer Lloyd, MHA, FACHE, is the founder of the Day Zero Method, a blueprint for organizations to create operational and financial excellence. Prior to founding Optimize Healthcare, she served as the chief administrative officer for Duke Ophthalmology and as chief administrator at Mayo Clinic for a variety of specialties. With over 20 years’ leadership experience, Lloyd now serves as an executive coach and consultant, focusing on helping physician and administrative leaders drive transformation, merge opposing cultures, and capitalize on diverse strengths to build successful integrated teams. Having led turn-around efforts for multiple organizations, Lloyd’s transformation efforts to date have produced over $250 million in financial improvements; impacted more than 500,000 patient lives; and increased team engagement and provider, staff, and patient satisfaction. She is also a Lean and Six Sigma Expert and a Certified Leadership Coach with the John Maxwell Team. Lloyd presents nationally on creating high-performance cultures to optimize organizational outcomes. She lives in North Carolina and loves spending time with her family, being outdoors, and improving her photography skills.

Annie Boynton, MSJ, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, COC, CPC-P, CPC-I, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P

Annie Boynton, MSJ, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, COC, CPC-P, CPC-I, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P

Annie Boynton, MSJ, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, COC, CPC-P, CPC-I, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, has served in the health information management field for 20 years, across provider, payer, and educational capacities. Currently, she is principal of Boynton Healthcare Management Solutions, specializing in practice and payer consulting, compliance, and education. Boynton holds several coding certifications, as well as undergraduate degrees in health information technology and healthcare management and graduate degrees in health, hospital compliance law, and financial services compliance law. She is currently pursuing a nursing degree.

Astara Crews, CPC, CPEDC

Astara Crews, CPC, CPEDC

Astara Crews, CPC, CPEDC, is a member of ENT and Allergy Associates’, LLP senior leadership team. She manages the Corporate Compliance Program and maintains and is responsible for adherence of the organization's policies, procedures, protocols, and practices of local, state, and federal healthcare compliance regulations. As part of Crew’s duties, her department provides coding and documentation education and training for physicians and clinical support staff. Crews has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry from CUNY Lehman College and a Masters of Jurisprudence in Health Law from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Crews is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), Healthcare Compliance Association (HCCA) and serves as the vice-president of the Lower Westchester, New York, local chapter.

Bevan Erickson, CEO

Bevan Erickson, CEO

Bevan Erickson, CEO, joined AAPC in 2007 and serves as its chief executive officer. Prior to AAPC, he spent a decade in the high-tech industry where he excelled at web marketing and technology-based product development. He grew up in Northern California, was educated at Brigham Young University, met his wife in Alaska, and has settled down to raise his four boys on a small lake in the mountains of Northern Utah. He enjoys family, water sports, cycling, traveling, and work — in that order. He is blessed to work with an amazing group of professionals within AAPC who both collectively and individually are relentless in their drive to make AAPC and its members successful.

Colleen Gianatasio, CPC, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CCS, CCDS-O

Colleen Gianatasio, CPC, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CCS, CCDS-O

Colleen Gianatasio, CPC, CPC-P, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CCS, CCDS-O, has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of the business of healthcare. As director of ambulatory CDQI for Mount Sinai Health Partners, she is responsible for provider engagement and clinical documentation improvement for accurate coding. Gianatasio specializes in developing innovative coding curriculum and instruction to support compliance with federal guidelines and appropriate reimbursement processes. She is a certified AAPC instructor and enjoys teaching a variety of coding, documentation, and auditing classes. Gianatasio is president-elect of the AAPC National Advisory Board.

Jaci Kipreos, CPC, COC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CEMC

Jaci Kipreos, CPC, COC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CEMC

Jaci Kipreos, CPC, COC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CPC-I, CEMC, has been in the field of medical coding and auditing for 30 years. She has been a Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) since 1994 and attained her Certified Outpatient Coder (COC™) in 2005. She has also obtained her credential as a Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA®) and is certified in the specialty of evaluation and management (E/M) coding. Kipreos has worked in a variety of practice settings and has expertise in coding for family practice, urgent care, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, and Medicare’s teaching physician guidelines, with an emphasis on compliance with E/M guidelines. Kipreos has been with Practice Integrity since 2003, where she leads a group of AAPC-certified instructors in teaching the professional medical coding curriculum. She also manages a national client list in monitoring provider documentation and performing audits for physician practices. Kipreos provides a wide range of educational topics to assist clients in the areas of chart documentation, Medicare’s teaching physician guidelines, surgical coding, modifier usage, and basic coding skills. She has been an instructor for various AAPC workshops for the past five years and is a certified ICD-10 instructor through AAPC for both ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. Kipreos has spoken at AAPC’s annual HEALTHCON conference the past seven years, as well as AAPC’s regional conferences. She has provided presentations for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners state event in Virginia and the national event for the American Association of Medical Assistants. Kipreos is a past president of the Richmond, Va., and Charlottesville, Va. local chapters, and also served as president of AAPC’s National Advisory Board from 2013-2015.

Jason Williford, CEO

Jason Williford, CEO

Jason Williford, CEO, The Making of a Serial Entrepreneur: The first grade class at Booker T. Washington Elementary school was ripe for the picking. As a student, Williford realized his first market opportunity by taking the art lesson industry by storm. After sitting through an art class, he proudly went home and announced the launch of his first business: art lessons at recess. His sell (and maybe draw a little) launched an opening day revenue (1 client) of 50 cents. Day 2, 300% growth and word was spreading fast. Day 3, the same administration that allowed the business to be born shut it down. Evidently, complaints from a mother that her child had willingly fasted for lunch after giving over his lunch money to some student for art lessons exposed the unintended consequences of capitalism in pure form. The progression of ventures went to an after school football league (right after “the man” shut down his first company), leaf raking, farming, mowing, landscaping, outdoor living and now trusted advisor as a culture expert to CEOs.

Jordan B. Goldberger, MBA

Jordan B. Goldberger, MBA

Jordan B. Goldberger, MBA, is the director of financial operations for MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper located in Camden, N.J. He has worked in healthcare for more than 10 years in various roles. As a member of the executive leadership team at MD Anderson at Cooper, he oversees the operating and capital budget, as well as physician compensation and contracting. Goldberger is an integral member of the strategic planning and business development team as well as the marketing strategy team. He received his master’s degree in business administration from the Fox School of Business at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. Goldberger is married, has a one-year-old son Brody, and lives in Mount Laurel, N.J.

Kathy Burkhardt, MSL, RHIA

Kathy Burkhardt, MSL, RHIA

Kathy Burkhardt, MSL, RHIA, is a Graduate of Stephens College with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Information Administration and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership. Burkhardt has served on the board of FHIMA and received the FHIMA Outstanding New Professional Award in 2016. She has held various positions with Gulf Coast Regional Health Information Management Association and serves on the Advisory Board of Ultimate Medical Academy.

Kristen Viviano, MHA, CPC, CRC

Kristen Viviano, MHA, CPC, CRC

Kristen Viviano, MHA, CPC, CRC, has been working in the healthcare industry for over 10 years. She has experience working both in the payer and provider space and has spent the last several years specializing in risk adjustment coding and CDI. Viviano has experience managing teams of coders, auditors, and educators across multiple lines of business and risk adjustment methodologies. She is currently working as a Healthcare Consultant for 3M and pursing another master’s degree with a focus on Health Informatics.

Mariarita Genovese, CPC

Mariarita Genovese, CPC

Mariarita Genovese, CPC, is the director of revenue cycle and business operations for MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. She has over 30 years of experience in billing and practice management, most recently in the areas of family medicine and medical oncology. She is active in educating the physicians and staff in medical coding and compliance regulations. Genovese currently serves as president of the Greater Philadelphia local chapter, after serving as chapter president and vice president in previous years. She is a former member of AAPC’s National Advisory Board and is a former member of the 2015-2018 AAPC Chapter Association (AAPCCA) Board of Directors. Genovese served on the AAPCCA Executive Board in 2016 and was awarded the 2019 chapter officer of the year by AAPC’s Board of Directors. She has contributed articles to Healthcare Business Monthly as well as the popular Knowledge Center blog. Genovese is also a frequent speaker at AAPC national and regional conferences.

Michael D. Miscoe, JD, CPC, CASCC, CUC, CCPC, CPCO, CPMA, CEMA, AAPC Fellow

Michael D. Miscoe, JD, CPC, CASCC, CUC, CCPC, CPCO, CPMA, CEMA, AAPC Fellow

Michael D. Miscoe, JD, CPC, CASCC, CUC, CCPC, CPCO, CPMA, CEMA, AAPC Fellow, has over 25 years of experience in healthcare coding and over 20 years as a compliance expert, forensic coding expert, and consultant. He has provided expert analysis and testimony on a wide range of coding and compliance issues in civil and criminal cases on behalf of providers and payers. His law practice concentrates on representation of healthcare providers involved in post-payment disputes with commercial and government payers. Miscoe has an extensive national speaking background and has been published in numerous publications on a variety of coding, compliance, and health law topics. He is president of AAPC’s 2018-2021 National Advisory Board, is a member of the AAPC Legal Advisory Board, and is the chair of AAPC’s Ethics Committee.

Michele Stevens, CPC, CPMA, AAPC Fellow

Michele Stevens, CPC, CPMA, AAPC Fellow

Michele Stevens, CPC, CPMA, AAPC Fellow, has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She started out as a receptionist and was promoted to office manager. It was during that time while responsible for coding and billing all office claims she discovered her love of ICD, CPT, and HCPCS level II codes. Stevens has worked as a coder, an auditor/physician educator, practice manager and is currently clinical coding manger.

Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, AAPC Approved Instructor

Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, AAPC Approved Instructor

Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, COPC, CPEDC, AAPC Approved Instructor, has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, working in the management, reimbursement, billing, and coding sectors, in addition to being an instructor. She was responsible for all ICD-10 training and curriculum at AAPC. Buckholtz has authored numerous articles for healthcare publications and has spoken at numerous national conferences for AAPC, AMA, HIMSS, AAO-HNS, AGA, and ASOA.

Stephanie Cecchini, CHISP, CPC, CEMC

Stephanie Cecchini, CHISP, CPC, CEMC

Stephanie Cecchini, CHISP, CPC, CEMC, is CEO at CompetentSee, LLC. CompetentSee uses a patent pending process to power its partners with a better method for evaluating employment candidates using a competency score. Cecchini is an executive-level consultant with 25 years’ experience in business development and product management. In prior roles, she was VP of Product Management at Western Governors University leading a large-scale agile software team, VP of Product for AAPC serving the medical coder community, VP of Coding Operations for Aviacode working with large medical groups, hospitals, and health systems, and Chief Audit Officer for Parses, Inc. where she worked with physicians, payers, and the OIG. Cecchini is a respected expert and nationally recognized keynote speaker on topics including Medical Billing and Coding, Professional Fees, Revenue Cycle Management, Compliance, Payer Overpayment Recovery, OIG and Payer Audits, Medicare Advantage, and Risk Adjustment, FFS, MACRA and MIPS, and Team Building. She is a longtime advocate of documentation reform to ease physician burnout and authored the book: “BURNOUT: How Medical Coders Prevent the Extinction of the American Physician.”

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