As part of Ametros’ goal to remain on the cutting edge when it comes to industry change and innovation, we are excited to announce the establishment of its Regulatory Advisory Council and be the first professional administration service to develop this type of council. The primary focus of the Regulatory Advisory Council is to continually be aware and informed on regulatory changes and best practices that could impact our clients, partners and members. The Council will be led by Ametros’ Senior Managing Director Paul Sighinolfi, and chaired by its CFO, Nicole Sauk.
Given the important interaction that professional administration, workers’ compensation, and Medicare Secondary Payer industries have with healthcare, data security, banking, insurance and other regulatory sectors, Ametros believes that there should be considerable resources and guidance for our company as well as the broader industry. The Council was created to help Ametros maintain compliant operations while guiding responsible development of our services for both members and clients. The Council will monitor and analyze regulatory developments and proposed changes to the Medicare Secondary Payer statute, as well as worker’s compensation and healthcare regulations. The Council will also examine consumer protection, data security, privacy compliance, patient advocacy, and broader personal injury issues and regulations.
“Professional administration requires a deep understanding of the regulatory climate of a number of sensitive issues and the Council will continuously examine proposed changes to the statute and sub-regulatory guidance and provide meaningful interpretations of these through blogs, articles and webinars to help our clients, partners and members understand them and maintain compliance, while allowing Ametros to develop best practices in leading the professional administration industry.”
~ Paul Sighinolfi, Founder of the Council and Senior Managing Director, Ametros
How did the Regulatory Advisory Council originate?
The Council was established to help guide Ametros’ structures and processes, and help Ametros ensure our day-to-day practices are compliant in all areas while keeping our members, partners and clients educated and informed. This Council not only serves to respond to compliance inquiries, but to educate on important issues, new industry trends and proposed changes to worker’s compensation and healthcare rules and regulations.
Who will be on the council?
Serving on the Council are highly accomplished attorneys and compliance experts, including:
Paul H. Sighinolfi
Founder of the Regulatory Council with an in-depth knowledge base of workers’ compensation law as the former Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of the Maine workers’ compensation system. Paul brings insight on industry trends for workers’ compensation regulatory matters.
Nicole Sauk
Nicole, Chair of the Council, is Ametros’ Chief Financial Officer and has over a decade of operational and finance management experience. She brings a wealth of knowledge in auditing and accounting and has been instrumental in company compliance initiatives, auditing, and implementing best practices operationally. Nicole will leverage her expertise to help the committee implement and identify best practices that pertain to financial and operational initiatives.
Thomas Barker
With experience as the former General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Tom brings substantial expertise and practical subject matter expertise on Medicare policy and legal issues, helping the committee better understand specific Medicare Set Aside (MSA) and CMS regulations.
Colin Zick
Colin has a vast knowledge base in healthcare and compliance issues for health insurers and providers. His experience provides him with the ability to educate the Council and others on patient data privacy and security (including HIPAA) and other pertinent healthcare laws and regulations.
Mala Rafik
Mala has a strong background in patient advocacy and represents clients that have been denied access to health care as well as individuals seeking short- and long-term disability and care benefits. Mala’s dedication to helping those with disabilities will be vital in understanding best practices on patient advocacy and enhancing patient benefits.
We hope the Council will not only inform Ametros’ efforts to revolutionize professional administration, but also educate the entire industry with different perspectives based on the strong representative areas of expertise. If you’re considering using a professional administration service as an injured party or as a client looking to partner with Ametros, we encourage using a professional administrator that continues to maintain effective compliance policies and processes as well as values continuous education of industry trends, standards, and best practices. Along with providing insight on compliant processes, the Council members will write relevant articles providing expert commentary to keep the industry informed on timely industry news, trends, and regulatory changes.
