Tom Coogan moves on
By Liz Beaulieu, Editor
Updated Thu November 10, 2011
Over the past 17 years, Tom Coogan has developed a niche for himself securing managed care contracts in the Oregon and Washington state area for Care Medical & Rehab Equipment. In October, however, he took his act to a “national stage.” That's when Coogan became director of national contracting for Wheelchair Professionals (WP), a national network of rehab providers that offers wheelchair seating and mobility equipment and services to health insurers and managed care companies (It counts United Healthcare as one of its major customers).
HME: Do you feel you accomplished all you could accomplish at Care Medical?
Coogan: Getting a sales tax exemption bill for DME passed in Washington state—that's the one thing I've left behind unfinished.
HME: What has the transition been like?
Coogan: I'm not new to managed care contracting, but because this is more of a national stage, I've been spending a lot of time trying to find out who the players are.
HME: What's your sales pitch?
Coogan: WP does all the intake, prior authorizations, billing, ordering. We track the whole process. The one thing managed care and case managers ask for is, “What's the status of the order?” We close that communication gap.
HME: Is your position new for Wheelchair Professionals?
Coogan: It is. They're looking to grow. I'm at a workers comp conference in Chicago right now. I'm looking at contracting directly with workers comp carriers. When it comes to workers comp—there's kind of a gap there, and we're trying to fill it.
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