Boom times for van Halem

ATLANTA - The van Halem Group has nearly doubled in size, adding nine employees for a total of 20.

What's more, the group plans to hire five to seven additional employees in the coming months, says President Wayne van Halem.

“The volume of audits and appeals has increased significantly and more folks are considering outsourcing that kind of work,” van Halem said. “We needed additional staff for the increase in our workload.”

A big hire: Pam Felkins Colbert, an attorney who previously managed a program integrity unit for CMS. Several of the other hires used to work for the RACs.

With the RACs on hiatus from certain audits while CMS transitions to new contractors, it's the perfect time for recruiting, van Halem says.

“The RACs are laying off people, so we're getting some really good talent,” he said. “That's what has made us so successful: Our staff knows the rules and regulations, and how to navigate the process.”

The new hires are part of the van Halem Group's plan to be ready and waiting when the RAC audits ramp back up, van Halem says. Providers are more likely to be ready and waiting, too, he says.

“They're taking a more proactive approach,” van Halem said. “We're bringing in some big contracts that involve pre-screening work. Before they put expensive equipment like a vent out there, providers want to go through a process that tells them, yes, it's good.”