AAHomecare Names Senior Director of Payor Relations

Twenty-year industry veteran Laura Williard will association members tackle funding challenges.

• By David Kopf
• May 19, 2016

Industry veteran Laura Williard will join the American Association for Homecare as its newly appointed Senior Director of Payer Relations.

“I’m excited to be joining the excellent team at AAHomecare and look forward to helping provide an added benefit to our members,” said Williard, who has served in the HME community for more than 20 years, most recently at Advanced Home Care. “As healthcare trends have continued to shift towards a managed care environment, providers are having to focus more on these payors.

“I have spent a large portion of my career developing relationships with these payers and working collaboratively with them to be able to provide and be paid for quality services in a cost effective manne,” she continued. “I look forward to utilizing these skills and helping providers with this challenge.”

The Association created the position to help its members that no longer work with Medicare and need help with other types of funding.

“Laura Williard will develop reference materials and provide assistance to our members in navigating payer relationships and concerns, serving as the go-to person on rules and regulations for these payers from CMS,” said AAHomecare President and CEO Tom Ryan. “More broadly, she will be the change-agent in response to Medicare Advantage audits to support members in developing strategies and resource materials.”

Currently serving as the senior director of regulatory affairs and contracting for Advanced Home Care, Williard’s current responsibilities include ensuring compliance for Advanced Home Care, along with patient and revenue integration for mergers and acquisitions, data and budget analysis, and negotiations of all managed care contracts.

“On behalf of Advanced Home Care, a longtime member of the American Association for Homecare, I would like to offer Laura congratulations on joining the Association,” said Joel Mills, CEO of Advanced Home Care. “… Advancing to the national association was a natural progression in her career; she will excel and be a key benefit for association members, including Advanced Home Care.”

Wiliard is also active in the industry’s state associations. She is a current board member for GAMES, vice president for NCAMES, and vice president for ATHOMES. She also serves as the vice chair for the Jurisdiction C Medicare Council, is an active member of the AAHomecare Regulatory Council, and is a founding member of the Mediware User Group. Williard also participates as a member of the Palmetto 16 State Coalition Committee and sits on the Public Policy Committee of the Visiting Nurses Association of America.