~~  Registration Opens Monday, September 25^th – 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm  ~~

Day 1: Tuesday, September 26^th        

7:00 am-5:00 pm

REGISTRATION OPEN

Metropolitan Pre-Function

7:00 am-5:00 pm

5:30 pm-6:30 pm

EXHIBIT AREA OPEN

Metropolitan A

7:00 am-8:00 am

BREAKFAST – Generously Sponsored by Walgreens

Metropolitan A

GENERAL SESSIONS

~~ please sit with your transplant specialty - signs on tables ~~

8:00 am-8:30 am

Welcome

Metropolitan B

WELCOME to Seattle!

Debbie Mast, TFCA President, Financial/Data Manager,

Solid Organ Transplant/MCS Program, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA

8:30 am-9:30 am

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Metropolitan B

Keynote: Kidney Sisters

Heather Hughes, Kidney Recipient, Spokane, WA

Danae Anderson, Kidney Donor, Spokane, WA

The story of two friends and their journey through the organ donation world. They will share their experiences and answer any questions others may have about this amazing process.

Moderator: Debbie Mast, Database Administrator/Financial Manager,

Solid Organ Transplant/MCS Program, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA

9:30 am-9:45 am

BREAK with EXHIBITORS 

Metropolitan A

9:45 am-10:45 am

Prescription Drug Benefits

Metropolitan B

The Increasing Complexity of Specialty Pharmacy

Kristen Fox-Smith, MPA,  Account Implementation Manager, Acentrus, Salt Lake City, UT

As generic drugs are waning, another segment of the pharmaceutical industry is rising rapidly and presenting continued growth opportunities – specialty drugs.  Along with the rise of specialty drugs comes a need for specialty pharmacy, medication therapy management, and pharmacy counseling for patients discharged from the hospital. With the largest generation of Americans aging and living longer, patients are in need of different types of specialty drugs and more specialty drugs. 

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

10:45 am-11:00 am

Sponsored Session

Astellas

Metropolitan B

Astellas Cares: Patient Support Services

Todd Black, Executive Representative, B.S. Behavioral Science and Health, Astellas Pharma, Inc., Northbrook, IL

Please join this session to learn how Astellas continues to prioritize supporting access and reimbursement challenges for your patients as well as educating them throughout their transplant journey.

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

11:00 am-12:00 pm

Metropolitan B

Round Tables: Connect and Learn

♦ BMT ♦ Heart ♦ Kidney ♦ Liver ♦ Lung/Thoracic ♦ Multi-visceral ♦ Pediatric ♦ KPD

o   Communicating and collaborating

o   Learning together

o   Round table session

Moderators:

Lisa McDermott, Transplant Operations Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Methodist Healthcare,

Memphis, TN

Lisa Donovan, Transplant Financial Coordinator, TFCA Trustee, SUNY Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY 

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

LUNCH

Metropolitan A

GENERAL SESSIONS

1:00 pm-2:00 pm

Fundraising Organizations

Metropolitan B

The Financial Realities of Transplantation- Am I Ready to Reach Out For Help

Rick Lofgren, CFRE, President & CEO, Children’s Organ Transplant Association-COTA Indianapolis, IN

Shannon Shensky, Director of Communications, HelpHOPELive, Philadelphia, PA

Michelle Gilchrist, President/CEO, National Foundation for Transplants (NFT), Memphis, TN

As financial issues strain families facing transplant, TFCs work to help patients and their families meet the mountains of costs associated with transplantation – both pre- and post-transplant. This session includes rationale for why fundraising is a great benefit to all parties in this process; tips and examples for TFCs talking with families, useful details about raising funds relative to a growing number of online fundraising options, and the soon-to-be-famous Top Ten List of Wacky Fundraising Ideas.

Moderator: Shanda Ross, Director  Digestive Diseases/Kidney, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE

2:00 pm-2:15 pm

Sponsored Session

Walgreens

Metropolitan B

Walgreens

Moderator: Shanda Ross, Director  Digestive Diseases/Kidney, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE Moderator: Chad Conley, Manager Third Party Specialty, Walgreens

2:15 pm-3:30 pm

Metropolitan B

Transplant Services and CMS Programs Coverage: Eligibility and Coverage Rules

David Santana, Health Insurance Specialist/Lead Trainer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Washington, DC

This session will provide a detailed overview of the Medicare program rules, including eligibility, coverage services, with emphasis on transplant related services, and order of payers. In addition we’ll provide summary updates on Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and coverage services. 

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

3:30 pm–3:45 pm

BREAK with EXHIBITORS

Metropolitan A

3:45 pm-5:00 pm

Metropolitan B

Medicare in 2017 Current Topics: Comprehensive review of new laws and initiatives affecting Medicare, and Coverage Updates.

David Santana, Health Insurance Specialist/Lead Trainer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Washington, DC

Medicare in 2017; Overview of the new laws impacting Medicare in a short and long term. Upcoming Medicare initiatives, coverage and changes for 2017 and beyond. New Medicare plans structure and requirements for Medicare Advantage Plans in 2017.

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

Day 2: Wednesday, September 27th

7:15 am-4:45 pm

REGISTRATION OPEN

Metropolitan Pre-Function

7:15 am-2:30 pm

EXHIBIT AREA OPEN

Metropolitan A

7:15 am-9:00 am**

Metropolitan A

BREAKFAST

** Note** TFCA Business Meeting starts at 8:00 a.m. for all TFCA Members

8:00 am-9:30 am

TFCA Annual Business         Meeting

Metropolitan B

17th Annual TFCA (Transplant Financial Coordinators Association)

Business Meeting   [Session Attendance Limited  to TFCA MEMBERS]

The TFCA Business Meeting is for active TFCA members only.  In this meeting the TFCA governing body is charged with disseminating association business information: Officer Reports, Financial Reports, and Committee Reports: Certification, Fundraising, Elections, Planning, and Resource Guide. Open discussion will follow officer reports and committee updates for members to ask questions and seek clarification on subjects and topics pertinent to our organization.

9:30 am-9:45 am

BREAK with EXHIBITORS 

Metropolitan A

General Session

9:45 am-10:45 am

TFCA Updates

Metropolitan B

TFCA Updates:

TFCA Survey

Katie Sloat, Heart Transplant/MCS Financial Coordinator, TFCA Secretary, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

TFCA Certification Test

John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

Give an update of the upcoming certification test for Transplant Financial Coordinators. Explain the two parts of the Certification Test.

Moderator: Deidra Simano, Transplant Operations Analyst, Solid Organ Transplant, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

10:45 am-11:00 am

~~ Transition to Breakout Sessions ~~

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS I

11:00 am-12:00 pm

3 topics – choose one to attend                     

Medicare Basics

Solid Organ & BMT

Metropolitan B

Medicare Basics for the New TFC

William P. Vaughan, Principal, Transplant Solutions LLC, Largo, FL

This session will cover Medicare basics as it pertains to solid organ transplant. We will briefly cover transplant history, terms and definitions, Medicare entitlement and eligibility, COB/MSP (Coordination of Benefits/Medicare Secondary Payer), and other Medicare topics that the new TFC may encounter.

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

Ravenna Rooms

Top Ten Things Every Financial Coordinator Should Know About Organ Transplant

Andrea Tietjen, CPA, MBA, Director ,Transplant Finances and Data,

Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ

Session Objectives:

·        Present background on financial/operational aspects of organ transplantation

·        Present issues and barriers identified with operationalizing organ transplant from an administrative and financial perspective.

·         Impart strategies to assist centers in effectively implementing and managing financial coordination for transplantation. 

Moderator: Deidra Simano, Transplant Operations Analyst, Solid Organ Transplant, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

TFC Social Worker Relationship

Ballard Room

Benefits of the TFC and Social Worker Relationship

Shanda Ross, Director Digestive Diseases/Kidney, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE

Megan Maltby, Clinical Social Worker III, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Transplant, VCU, Richmond, VA

Session Objectives:

·        Importance of the TFC and Social Worker relationship

·        Why communication is key between the TFC and Social Worker

·        The importance of each knowing their role on the team

Moderator: Lisa Donovan, Transplant Financial Coordinator, TFCA Trustee, SUNY Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY 

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

LUNCH

Metropolitan A

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS II

1:00 pm-2:00 pm

2  topics – choose one to attend 

UNOS

Metropolitan B

What’s new at UNOS?

Yolanda Becker, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery, University of Chicago,  OPTN/UNOS President, Chicago, IL

An update of UNOS activities and a demonstration of the UNOS education website will be presented. Upcoming policy implementation will be reviewed (liver/kidney allocation implementation) and questions about liver allocation will be taken.

Moderator: Debbie Mast, Financial/Data Manager, Solid Organ Transplant/

MCS Program, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA

FACT

Ravenna Rooms

FACT: Impacting TFCs and Their Facilities - Making a World of Difference

Jean E. Sanders, MD, Emeritus Member Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Emeritus Professor Pediatrics, University of Washington, Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, Bellevue, WA

The Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) is an international non-profit organization that promotes improvement and progress in cellular therapy by establishing standards, providing education, and inspecting and accrediting programs worldwide. This presentation will describe FACT services, discuss ways in which it improves the quality of care provided by accredited organizations, and explain how accreditation is used as a criterion for evaluating the value of cellular therapy programs.

Moderator: Raj Dhami, Bone Marrow Transplant Financial Coordinator, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

2:00 pm-2:30 pm

BREAK with EXHIBITORS 

Metropolitan A

~~ Exhibitor Bingo Drawing at 2:20 p.m. – Must be present to win ~~

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS III

2:30 pm-3:30 pm

3 topics – choose one to attend 

BMT – NMDP

Ballard Room

Be the Match: New Resources and Policy Updates

Susan Leppke, MPH, Director  Payer Policy & Legislative Relations, National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match

Alicia Silver, MPP, Payer Policy & Legislative Relations, National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match

Session Objectives:

·        Overview of current coverage, reimbursement and policy issues HCT faces today

·        Learn how to become an advocate for your transplant center and patients on critical access issues

·        Identify NMDP/Be The Match resources to help you in your daily work

Moderator: Michelle Dodson, Transplant Financial Coordinator,

Cell Transplant Program, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA

Challenges of

Live Donor Billing

Metropolitan B

Challenges of Live Donor Billing: Pre and Post-Transplant

Laura J. Aguiar, BS,  Principal & Managing Partner, Transplant Solutions, LLC, Glendale, AZ   

At the conclusion of this session, attendees will have a better understanding of what services are allowable to the KACC for the living donor during the pre-transplant evaluation phase.  There will also be a discussion of billing for both routine donor follow-up as well as donation-related complications in light of the clarifications issued by CMS in 2013.

Moderator: Sharon Walls, Financial Coordinator, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA

Pediatric

Ravenna Rooms

Teen Metamorphosis (The transition from teen to adult)

Deborah Andersen, RN, BSN, CCTC, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE

Session Objectives:

·        Identify cognitive and developmental delays associated with pediatric solid organ transplantation.

·        Recognize the individual needs of adolescent patients during the transition to adult care.

·         Discuss the role of relationship building with teens as they transition from pediatric to adult care.

Moderator: Shanda Ross, Director  Digestive Diseases/Kidney, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE

3:30 pm-3:45 pm

~~ Transition to Breakout Sessions ~~

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS IV

3:45 pm-4:45 pm 

3 topics - choose one to attend          

Case Management

Ravenna Rooms

Transplant Case Management - A View from the Payer Side of the Authorization

Tim Donovan, RN, Transplant Case Manager,  Optum, Pittsburgh, PA

Session Objectives:

·        To understand the role of the transplant RN case manager in the transplant process.

·        To understand the difference in case management and utilization management.

·        To understand the steps in processing a new transplant referral.

·        To understand that the purpose and sum of our work involves saving human lives.

Moderator: Sina Thimas, Transplant Financial Coordinator, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA

EPIC

Metropolitan B

EPIC: You don’t know what you don’t know.

Debbie Mast, TFCA President, Financial/Data Manager,

Solid Organ Transplant/MCS Program, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA

Session Objectives:

·        Creating your financial documentation and reporting within Epic

·        Bundling episodes for tracking and cost reporting

Moderator: Adrienne Toussant, Transplant Financial Coordinator, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

VADs

Ballard Room

Navigating Both Public and Private Payer Coverage for Medical Device Clinical Trials-Lessons Learned From the MOMENTUM 3 HeartMate 3 Category B IDE Study

Tina Ivovic, Global Field Health Economics and Reimbursement, Therapy Leader for Heart Failure, Abbott, Pleasanton, CA

Session Objectives:

·        Improve the traditional method of pre-authorization in a Category B IDE clinical trials

·        Arm yourself with a detailed course of action if met with a payer denial

·        Gain an understanding of patient rights to the Payer and willingness to advocate on behalf of the patient and the clinical trial

·        Never get denied for clinical trial inclusion for a Medicare Advantage plan again.

Moderator: Katie Sloat, Heart Transplant/MCS Financial Coordinator, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

Day 3: Thursday, September 28th   

7:30 am-12:30 pm

REGISTRATION OPEN

Metropolitan Pre-Function

7:30 am-8:30 am

BREAKFAST

Metropolitan A

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS V

8:30 am-9:30 am

3 topics – choose one to attend

Breaking Financial Barriers

Metropolitan B

Smashing Financial Barriers to Transplant  

Lisa Morrison, Waitlist Coordinator, Legacy Transplant Services, Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Portland, OR

Fifteen years ago, most financial coordinators were hired to verify benefits and build accurate accounts. Many programs, mine included, turned away patients whose “financial profile does not support a path to transplant.”  Today, thanks to education and inspiration offered by TFCA, we TFCs are warriors for economic justice in healthcare, determined to help deliver the life-changing benefits of transplant to every medically-qualified candidate we meet. From this session, TFCs will take away a full understanding of the financial barriers to transplant, an expanded tool box of resources to help their patients meet their needs, and a list of actions they can take within their program as well as in their community to smash the financial barriers to transplant.

Moderator: John Waldon, Financial Analyst, TFCA Trustee, Abdominal Transplant, St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN

Medicare Cost Report

Basics

Ravenna Rooms

Medicare Cost Report Basics

Robert Howey, MBA, MHA, CPA, Director,  Toyon Associates, Walnut Creek, CA 

These sessions will cover the basics of organ acquisition to include discussion of the Medicare cost report, how Medicare reimburses for organ acquisition costs, and the types of cost included/excluded. The sessions will also discuss best practices for the accumulation of data, common errors and omissions, and the various risks/opportunities.

Moderator: Nyellka Brown, Transplant Financial Coordinator, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

BMT Cost Report

Ballard Room

2017 HCT Update on Coding, Billing, and Cost Reporting

Jugna Shah, MPH, President and Founder, Nimitt Consulting Inc., Washington, DC

Session Objectives: 

At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees will be able to:

·        Describe the most recent Medicare changes for reporting donor search and cell acquisition charges

·        Describe how Medicare uses provider claims data to develop future payment rates

·        Conduct an internal self-assessment/audit to determine how they are doing with respect to compliant coding, billing, and charge capture practices

Moderator: Michelle Dodson, Transplant Financial Coordinator,

Cell Transplant Program, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA

9:30 am-10:00 am

BREAK – use this time for check out; bring luggage to sessions

Metropolitan A

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS VI

10:00 am -11:00am

3 topics – choose one to attend

TFC Basics

Solid Organ

Metropolitan B

Learning The Ropes: A Beginners Guide to the TFC Process from Referral to Post Transplant

Lisa Donovan, Transplant Financial Coordinator, SUNY Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY 

Deidra Simano, Transplant Operations Analyst, Solid Organ Transplant, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

This session is designed for new Financial Coordinators.  We will review the TFC process from referral to listing. Participants will see two center's approach to the same end result, allowing them to gain information on which process may work best for their program

Moderator: Nicki Schepis, Transplant Financial Coordinator, Providence Sacred Hart, Spokane, WA

Advanced Topics -

Medicare Cost Report

Ravenna Rooms

Advanced Topics in Medicare Cost Reporting

Robert Howey, MBA, MHA, CPA, Director, Toyon Associates, Walnut Creek, CA 

In this session, we will discuss how non-Medicare payers reimburse for organ acquisition costs and the role of TFCs in the process.

After the session, the participant will be able to:

• Understand the Medicare cost report methodology, areas of risk, and areas of opportunities
• Understand the preparation of the cost report and types of cost included/excluded
• Understand how non-Medicare payers reimburse for organ acquisition costs

Moderator: Nyellka Brown, Transplant Financial Coordinator, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

BMT  Basics

Ballard Rooms

A Day in the Life of a BMT TFC  

Michelle Dodson, Transplant Financial Coordinator, Cell Transplant Program, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA

Raj Dhami, BMT Financial Coordinator, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

Success as a TFC in the world of transplant finance is both rewarding and challenging to new as well as seasoned TFCs. This session will enlighten TFCs on key elements to be mindful in your daily practice.

·        Benefit verification – aligning with clinical process

·        Financial Barriers

·        Prescription drugs

·        Teamwork

Moderator: Lisa McDermott, Transplant Operations Analyst, Methodist Healthcare,

Memphis, TN

 11:00 am-11:15 am

~~ Transition to General Session ~~

Special prize drawing during 12:15 General Session -- not to be missed --

Must be in attendance to win!

GENERAL SESSION

~~ Special prize drawing at 12:15 – must be in attendance to win ~~

11:15 am-12:15 pm

Contracting/Reimbursement

Metropolitan B

TFC Role: Achieving, Sustaining, and Nurturing Centers of Excellence Designations

Jennifer Milton, BSN, CCTC, MBA, Executive Director, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Texas Transplant Center, San Antonio, TX

Transplant Centers continue to struggle to understand and maintain the cadre of ‘excellence’ designations from private insurance companies. This presentation will provide a review of the key requirements for Centers of Excellence (COE) Designations. We will discuss how programs can create evaluation systems within their own transplant centers to identify risks of losing; and opportunities to secure COE designations and will discuss the role of the Transplant Financial Coordinator in facilitating COE partnership discussions between the transplant center and managed care department within their own hospitals.

Moderator: Lisa McDermott, Transplant Operations Analyst,

Methodist Healthcare, Memphis, TN

12:15 pm-12:30 pm

Metropolitan B

2016 TFCA Workshop Wrap-Up & Evaluations

Debbie Mast, TFCA President, Financial/Data Manager,

Solid Organ Transplant/MCS Program, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA

Lisa McDermott, Transplant Operations Analyst, Methodist Healthcare,

Memphis, TN;TFCA Trustee, TFCA Workshop Planning Committee Co-Chair

Lisa Donovan, Transplant Financial Coordinator, SUNY Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY; TFCA Trustee, TFCA Workshop Planning Committee Co-Chair