Paula Jean Martel, RN/BSN/CCM/CBCS
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Highly motivated Registered Nurse (RN) with extensive clinical experience and superior analytical skills with a special interest in Managed Care environments. In-depth understanding of payer specific medical policies, healthcare status and national guidelines. Adept at identifying services rendered in validating appropriate levels of care and addressing issues related to appeals which require clinical input or interpretation. Oversee and monitor documentation and charting requirements that support services provided to meet billing requirements including state specific requirements for supportive documentation. Retired veteran of United States Air Force, having served as a Medical Service Specialist and Clinical Nurse.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Review and Analysis of Denials Writing Professional Appeal Letters Quality Assurance Review Submission and Follow-up Reporting and Education Compliance with Federal, State and Third-party Payers Utilization Management Internal and External Billing Audits
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Vidhwan Inc DBA e-Solutions, Inc, San Jose, CA 07/06/2021 – 09/08/2021
Remote Denial & Appeals Review RN
Provided support to, and functioned as, initial data intake team by reviewing and processing provider appeals for denied payment due to not meeting medical necessity criteria.
Requested Waiver of Liability and Appointment of Representation forms, from non-participating providers, if needed.
Reviewed all imported documents, to ensure completeness of appeal documents, prior to assigning to appropriate departments per companies’ policy and procedures.
Jupiter Medical Center Jupiter, FL 05/2012 - 06/2020
Clinical RAC Coordinator 05/2012 - 06/2020
Wrote clinical appeals for medical necessity denials, level of care denials, and lack of clinical documentation denials issued by Commercial insurance companies and Medicare
Performed electronic medical record research for denials as well as audits
Participated in billing audits with both internal and external entities
Provided clinical support to multiple non-clinical financial and health information departments within the acute hospital setting
Specialty Leader Case Manager 02/2012 - 12/2012
Assessed, planned, implemented, coordinated, monitored and evaluated options and services to meet a patient's need
Used available resources to assist in achieving an effective discharge plan while promoting quality health care with cost effective outcomes.
Coordinated and completed utilization management activities
Assured compliance with federal, state and third-party payers
Participated in performance improvement initiatives related to the management of patient care.
Fallon Community Health Plan Worcester, MA 2003 - 2011
Nurse Team Leader
Used a multidisciplinary approach to organize, coordinate, monitor, evaluate and modify plans of care, focusing on selected complex medical and psychosocial needs of health plan members and their families.
Responsible for developing comprehensive care plans for high-risk members to improve functional status and prevent hospitalization
Supervised the process of data entry into the appropriate data bases/applications
Assisted in the daily oversight of the operational processes within the Case Management Department
Oriented and trained team members at time of hire and during all departmental changes to workflow processes.
Responsible for creation and implementation of written policies and procedures within the Case Management Department
CIGNA HealthCare of Massachusetts 2000 - 2003
Patient Care Facilitator/Utilization Management
Applied professional clinical skills and expertise in conjunction with medical guidelines, member eligibility and benefit coverage information in the review of prior authorization requests to ensure high-quality, cost-effective care.
Managed clinical aspects of member appeals.
Processed medical claims for medical necessity reviews using InterQual criteria.
First Allmerica Financial Life Insurance Co 1999 - 2000
Nurse Case Manager/Utilization Management
Visiting Nurse Association of Central Mass, Inc 1990 - 1999
Community Health Staff Nurse
EDUCATION
Worcester Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing Worcester, MA
Degree in Nursing
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
University of Phoenix (on-line) 2011
Healthcare Informatics Program
Broward College (on-line) 2016
Legal Nurse Consultant Program
CERTIFICATION
Ashworth College (on-line) 2020
Certified Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
Commission for Case Manager 1999
Certified Case Manager
MILITARY
United States Air Force 1980 - 1984
Medical Service Specialist
United States Air Force Reserves 1985 – 1999
Registered Nurse