Palmetto GBA - About Us - Leadership Profiles


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	Joe Johnson President Chief Operating Officer	Mr. Johnson has 26 years of experience primarily in the information systems technology field with a focus on Medicare and health insurance applications, infrastructure, and systems security. Mr. Johnson is a 21 year veteran of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Palmetto GBA and has worked in support of the companies Medicare contracts throughout this entire period. Mr. Johnson has held a variety of leadership positions in our company in which he successfully managed performance and growth within Palmetto GBA. Most recently, Mr. Johnson served as the Vice President, Systems and Support for Palmetto GBA. Palmetto GBA Systems Division provides technical services in support of all Palmetto GBA contracts as well as providing technical services directly to the Federal Government and other external business entities. A Columbia native, Mr. Johnson graduated from Midlands Technical College and the University of South Carolina. He is active in the local community, coaching youth sports for 12 years and serving on several school improvement councils and the Richland 2 Gifted and Talented Foundation board. He currently serves as the vice president of the Blythewood High School Touchdown Club.

	Joe Wright Vice President Chief Financial Officer	Mr. Wright has 38 years of business experience and 17 years of health care experience. He has been licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in South Carolina for 36 years. Mr. Wright is responsible for all financial functions at Palmetto GBA including the receipt and disbursement of Medicare Trust Fund dollars. Mr. Wright is a graduate of Bob Jones University.

	Ann Archibald Compliance Officer	Ms. Archibald has over 45 years of experience at Palmetto GBA where she currently serves as the Compliance Officer. She has held numerous management positions and was instrumental in the original DMERC Region C contract proposal. Ms. Archibald is credited with developing and implementing the Palmetto GBA Compliance Program. Ms. Archibald attended the University of South Carolina.

	Mike Barlow Vice President Jurisdiction 1 A/B MAC Operations	Mr. Barlow serves as a Vice President of Operations and is the J1 Program Manager responsible for the overall oversight and administration Palmetto GBA’s Jurisdiction 1 AB Medicare Administrative Contract (J1 AB MAC). This contract has staff in offices located in South Carolina, Ohio and Georgia and comprising 800+ personnel consisting of provider enrollment analysts, nurse reviewers (RNs), claims processors, customer service representatives, document control technicians, ombudsmen/provider education consultants, business analysts, project specialists and other support personnel. Mr. Barlow graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern Mississippi.

	Nella Bishop Vice President Systems & Support	Ms. Bishop has over 19 years of experience in Information Technology and Systems. As the Vice President of Systems and Support, Ms. Bishop provides strategic guidance in the design and development of new technical initiatives to support Palmetto GBA’s strategic business programs. She has oversight responsibility for Palmetto GBA’s Systems and Support Division providing technical services in support of all Palmetto GBA contracts as well as directly to the Federal Government and other external business entities. The Palmetto GBA Systems Division consists of over 400 technicians, software engineers and architects, analysts and technical support personnel. Ms. Bishop is a graduate of Columbia College and the George Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in Computer Science. Before joining Palmetto GBA, Ms. Bishop held a number of leadership positions in the technology industry, specifically the telecommunications and high-tech sectors.

	Neal Burkhead Vice President Railroad Medicare & Jurisdiction 15 A/B MAC Operations	Mr. Burkhead is responsible for the program administration of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) Medicare contract and the J15 Part A Medicare Administrative Contractor (J15 MAC) subcontract. The RRB contract is national in scope and encompasses a broad range of functions including claims processing, customer service, appeals, medical review, Medicare Secondary Payer, and enrollment. The J15 Part A subcontract supports the J15 MAC, CGS, in the administration of Part A Medicare services in the states of Kentucky and Ohio. Functional responsibilities include claims processing, customer service, appeals, medical policy, provider enrollment, and provider audit and reimbursement. Mr. Burkhead is a graduate of the University of North Carolina.

	Elaine Garrick Vice President Support Operations	Ms. Garrick has over 19 years of leadership and managerial experience within the health care industry, and 23 years of Medicare administrative experience. She is responsible for several of Palmetto GBA’s support operations including training, quality assurance and change management. She also oversees three national contracts which include the Medicare Competitive Bidding Implementation contract, the National Supplier Clearinghouse and Train the Trainer, which provides provider education support services. She received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the National Project Management Institute, Inc., a 1998 graduate of Leadership Columbia and a 2009 graduate of Leadership South Carolina. She has also served on the board of directors for many nonprofit organizations over the years.

	Ed Sanchez Vice President Jurisdiction 11 A/B MAC Operations	Mr. Sanchez serves as Vice President of Operations and is the J11 Program Manager responsible for the oversight and administration of Palmetto GBA’s Jurisdiction 11 AB Medicare Administrative Contract (J11 AB MAC) in the states of North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia as well as the Regional Home Health and Hospice contracts for a sixteen state jurisdiction. These responsibilities encompass a broad range of functions including claims processing, customer service, appeals, medical policy, provider enrollment, provider outreach and education, provider audit and reimbursement and medical review. Mr. Sanchez has over 28 years of professional experience and over twelve years leading Medicare Integrity Program functions in Medicare Part A/B and Durable Medical Equipment environments. A licensed Attorney, Mr. Sanchez holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Haverford College, a Juris Doctor from Temple University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Drexel University. Mr. Sanchez also earned a Master’s certification in Federal Government Contracting from George Washington University.

	Carol Sutton Vice President Shared Services	Ms. Sutton has over 30 years of industry experience. As Vice President of Shared Services, Ms. Sutton is responsible for J1 and J11 A/B MAC appeals, pricing, document control, claims, and FOIA requests as well as facility support. She leads operations in Columbia, Camden and Florence, SC; Columbus and Wheelersburg, Ohio; and a small team in Augusta, Georgia. Ms. Sutton is a graduate of the University of Delaware and earned her Master's Degree from the University of North Carolina. Prior to joining Palmetto GBA, Ms. Sutton held a number of leadership positions with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, primarily with government business at the state level. Her management experience includes call centers, appeals, claims, document operations, membership and billing, medical review, project implementation and account management.

	Jean Catalano Assistant Vice President Competitive Bid Operations	Ms. Catalano has over 25 years experience in health care operations and administrative disability law. Her managerial expertise encompasses call center, claims, appeals, and professional relations operations, including publication of national and regional advisories. She currently has direct oversight of the national Medicare Competitive Bidding Implementation Contract. Ms. Catalano holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of South Carolina.

last updated on 07/03/2012