The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) hopes to bolster its advocacy capabilities in critical areas through the addition of Alexis Ward as Senior Director of Payer Relations, effective June 19, 2023.
Ward’s background in working with Medicaid authorities, managed care organizations (MCOs) and insurance companies will allow the Association to broaden its work toward sustainable reimbursements and robust network access for home medical equipment (HME) suppliers across the increasingly important cohort of non-Medicare payers. She brings 25 years of HME experience to her new role, including expertise in rate negotiation, coverage policies, compliance issues and clinical review. Her expertise centers around expanding coverage of and payment for complex rehab technology.
“We’re thrilled to bring such an accomplished HME advocacy professional onto the AAHomecare team,” said Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president and CEO. “Alexis earned her reputation as a highly effective and well-respected advocate through her work with two major companies in the HME sector and as a leader on our Board of Directors, Complex Rehab and Mobility Council (CRMC) and Regulatory Council.
“Alexis will help us directly engage Medicaid officials and major payers in more states, while also providing expertise and support that will allow HME suppliers and other stakeholders to work more effectively with these payers,” Ryan continued. “Our payer relations team has had a lot of success on behalf of HME since we made payer relations a strategic priority in 2016, and adding Alexis reinforces that success. In addition, her background working for two national-scope mobility providers also strengthens our ability to advocate on issues in that segment, including the growing number of state-level wheelchair right-to-repair legislative proposals.”
Ward currently serves as vice president of payer relations for National Seating & Mobility (NSM). Doug McDaniel, senior vice president of business development at NSM said he believes the move will pay dividends across a wide spectrum of the HME sector.
“Proactive efforts to advocate for the correction of inadequate funding policies and drive reimbursement adjustments is crucial to the future of the complex rehab technology industry,” said McDaniel. “Alexis has the passion, experience and knowledge needed to champion much-needed solutions to these funding challenges and will serve us all well in this new role at AAHomecare. We look forward to collaborating with her and the AAHomecare team for the benefit of the entire industry.”
“I have been honored to spend the last 25 years supporting the needs of the many providers I have worked for and the communities they serve," Ward said. "I am truly excited to be bringing that knowledge and experience to the table for the industry at large and am eager to get to work pursuing the needed changes.”
Prior to joining NSM in December 2018, Ward worked in various roles at another major national mobility provider over a five-plus year span, including the role of executive director of Managed Care & Medicaid Affairs.
In addition to her service on AAHomecare’s Board, CRMC Council (which she currently chairs) and Regulatory Council, Ward is also an NCART Executive Committee member and a Board member of the Florida Alliance of Homecare Services and the Georgia Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers. Ward is also a former President of the Texas Rehab Providers’ Council. She currently resides in San Antonio, Texas.
