Consultants
Murer Consultants, Inc. is comprised of 25 individuals, 14 consultants and 11 other staff members. While the consultants share a similar background in law, they all contribute different levels of expertise. The additional staff helps to support and maintain the daily operation of the Murer Consultants firm.
Robert L. Monroe, J.D., LL.M.
Vice President
Robert L. Monroe, J.D., LL.M., is Vice President of Murer Consultants, Inc. He has received Juris Doctor degree and Master of Laws in Health Law degrees from DePaul University College of Law. In 1993, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
As a Vice President, Mr. Monroe has focused on corporate healthcare compliance and the development of post acute care venues. Mr. Monroe's healthcare compliance experience encompasses performing onsite provider audits, the development of compliance educational materials for providers and advising institutional clients on a wide range of federal and state regulatory issues.
Mr. Monroe's involvement in the development of post acute care entities has included the preparation of Certificate of Need applications in several states, preparing providers for Medicare certification surveys and ensuring their compliance with Office of Civil Rights requirements. Mr. Monroe has also represented providers seeking Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations Certification. He also has expertise in the development of provider-based entities and change of ownership transactions.
Prior to joining Murer Consultants, Inc., Mr. Monroe served on the editorial board of the Journal of Health and Hospital Law addressing key issues that will dictate future health policy.
Monica Hon, J.D.
Vice President
Monica Hon, J.D., is a Vice President with Murer Consultants, Inc. Ms. Hon received her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Ms. Hon joined the group after more than 7 years of well rounded management experience from a wide array of industry types. She has experience in such industries as telecommunication, transportation, and consumer finance.
Ms. Hon is a senior regulatory expert providing guidance, advocacy and ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations with a concentration in Medicare Conditions of Participation, Civil Rights and Provider-Based Regulations. Her expertise also includes the analysis and preparation of Certificate of Need applications, change of ownership, consolidation and merger transactions, provider-based applications and the operation, licensing and Medicare certification of acute care hospitals, rehabilitation and skilled nursing units and facilities.
Ms. Hon's work also includes providing oversight to compliance audits, writing policies and procedures, overseeing compliance education programs, assisting with the investigations of complaints and assisting the chief compliance officers of numerous facilities. She has been instrumental in provider-based projects as well as in creating many of the audit models that are a significant emphasis of Murer Consultants. The in-depth audits and preparations for certifications and accreditations have resulted in Murer's stellar record of achieving accreditation and certification for its clients.
Ms. Hon is bilingual in English and Spanish and donates her time to several non-profit organizations in her community, including serving on the Board of Directors of the La Salle County CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates Association.
Ryan J. Yokley, J.D., M.H.A.
Vice President
Ryan James Yokley, J.D., M.H.A., is a Vice President of Murer Consultants, Inc. Mr. Yokley received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia, School of Law and his Master of Health Administration degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia, School of Medicine. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.
At Murer Consultants, Mr. Yokley's efforts are focused on assisting healthcare organizations with identifying and achieving their goals through organizational restructuring and addressing applicable Federal and State rules and regulations. Specifically, Mr. Yokley devotes a significant amount of his practice assisting healthcare providers with ensuring continuation of Medicare certification and licensure in relation to business transactions such as change of ownerships, acquisitions, and mergers; as well as obtaining Medicare certification and licensure for newly developed providers.
Additionally, Mr. Yokley has significant experience in assisting providers with emergency disaster preparation and recovery. This entails identification of Federal and state sources of disaster reimbursement funding, identifying eligible expenses, and completing the filing processes and documentation needed to receive Federal and State reimbursement.
Prior to joining Murer Consultants, Inc., Mr. Yokley was an associate attorney in Joplin, Missouri, specializing in personal injury, professional malpractice, products liability and family law. He appeared in court, drafted legal documents, interviewed witnesses, conducted investigative work, and negotiated settlements with insurance agents and creditors.
Previously, Mr. Yokley was a Student Consultant for both the Missouri Department of Corrections -- Medical Services as well as the Capital Regional Medical Center. As Student Consultant he developed a performance measurement matrix comprised of appropriate healthcare indicators and benchmark data for use in Missouri prisons. He also collected data and evaluated the workflow process and clinical pathways for medical examination and treatment. In addition, he presented findings to state officials and legislators for implementation, and findings and recommendations to increase efficiency to the management of the Medical Center.
Mr. Yokley served an internship at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Center for Managed Care, in Rockville, Maryland. In 1994 he was appointed as an Intern to the House of Parliament in London, England, where he assisted in the release of statements and data reports to media outlets, and conducted research on issues related to constituent opinions.
A.J. Wilhelmi, J.D.
Senior Healthcare Consultant
Illinois State Senator A.J. Wilhelmi, J.D., has joined Murer Consultants as a Senior Healthcare Consultant. Senator Wilhelmi is a graduate of Loyola University where he majored in English with minors in Philosophy and Political Science. He graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1993 with a Juris Doctor degree.
During his years of practicing law, Senator Wilhelmi specialized in the business law, real estate, and transactional arena.
Senator Wilhelmi was first appointed to the Illinois Senate in January 2005 and then elected in November 2006 to represent the communities of the 43rd Senate District in Illinois.
Long involved in Joliet and the surrounding community, Senator Wilhelmi has served as the Chairman of the Board for the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce as well as chairing the Diplomats Committee for the Will County Center for Economic Development. In Springfield Senator Wilhelmi serves as the Chairman of the Judiciary Criminal Law Committee. He is also a member of the Senate Education, Agriculture and Conservation, Appropriations II, and Judiciary Civil Law Committees.
Senator Wilhelmi's work at Murer is focused on healthcare property development, mergers and acquisitions, Medicare Compliance and Regulatory Analysis, as well as specialized consultation in 340B Pharmacy, FQHCS, Rural Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Care.
Susan M. Maupin, J.D., R.N.
Senior Consultant
Susan M. Maupin, J.D., R.N., is a Senior Consultant with Murer Consultants, Inc. Ms. Maupin started her career as a Registered Nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing from Purdue University in Hammond, Indiana. She then continued on at Purdue receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology. After working as an R.N. for 14 years, she graduated from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago receiving her Juris Doctor in January 2005.
At Murer Consultants, Ms. Maupin has utilized both her clinical and legal backgrounds in a variety of projects with hospitals and health systems across the country. Her experience includes, but is not limited to, hospital and unit development, clinical documentation review, situational audits, case management projects and overall regulatory compliance. She has developed a number of sophisticated tools in the study of cross-checking numerous documents to a specific point. Her concurrent analysis of medical records, hospital billing records, pharmacy records, and other data has contributed to a more in-depth analysis when brought to bear on a project.
Ms. Maupin has been the lead consultant on the development of both short term and long term acute care hospitals, as well as continued operational management of a number of long term acute care hospitals. Ms. Maupin works collaboratively with hospital administration and medical staffs to provide operational guidance and oversight. She has also been involved in the development and expansion of a number of post acute venues, with an emphasis in the area of inpatient rehabilitation.
With a strong clinical background, Ms. Maupin has assisted a number of hospitals and health systems in the review and improvement of clinical documentation through detailed medical record audits and educational seminars. Ms. Maupin has also assisted in the preparation and submission of appeals through the LTACH Demonstration Project and MAC auditing. In light of ever changing healthcare regulations, she has been involved in the preparation for mandatory quality reporting for inpatient venues of care.
Kyle Vasquez, J.D., LL.M.
Senior Consultant
Kyle A. Vasquez, J.D., LL.M., is a Senior Consultant with Murer Consultants, Inc. He received his Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and has a B.A. in Economics from The University of Illinois. He comes to Murer from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law where he received his LL.M. in Health Law in May of 2007.
At Murer Consultants, Mr. Vasquez is actively engaged in developing innovative physician alignment strategies, such as clinical co-management models. Mr. Vasquez's efforts are also focused on regulatory review, compliance, and development activities for new health care facilities including general acute care hospitals, multi-campus hospitals, psychiatric facilities, exempted rehabilitation providers, FQHCs, and other key components of the health care continuum. Mr. Vasquez has particular expertise in compliance with provider-based criteria, and has assisted a number of providers across the country with conversion of freestanding practices to provider-based hospital locations. Additionally, Mr. Vasquez has expertise in the areas of 340B drug pricing program participation, disproportionate share hospital (DSH) designations, and other revenue maximizing classifications. Mr. Vasquez’s expertise has led to significant cost savings and revenue generation for health care providers across the country.
Prior to joining Murer, Mr. Vasquez was an extern for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights in Chicago. While there he reviewed HIPAA Privacy Rule complaints and investigated HIPAA Privacy Rule allegations, as well as investigating complaints of discrimination related to health care and human services. He also has previous experience at the Rush University Medical Center, Office of Legal Affairs, where he drafted and revised agreements involving pharmaceuticals and clinical trials. In addition, Mr. Vasquez has experience in insurance defense litigation.
Debra M. Frost
Senior Analyst / Consultant
Debra M. Frost is a Senior Analyst and Consultant with Murer Consultants. Since joining the firm in 1989, Ms. Frost has specialized in the areas of situational audits and financial and statistical data review.
As part of a project, Ms. Frost will review statistical data for revenue analysis including the development of proformas and profit and loss statements for acute hospitals and healthcare systems to determine need for post acute venues of care.
In addition, she has an extensive background in computer science and has used these skills in assisting in the development of customized computer programs. Ms. Frost has worked on a wide range of integrated projects for hospitals and health systems including feasibility studies, development of general acute hospitals and specialty hospitals including Long Term Acute Care Hospitals. She has also worked on several marketing projects including name identification and image building for a rehabilitation network. Ms. Frost's modeling of data fields is a significant component of the Murer tracking methodologies used in various Murer Consultants audits.
Ms. Frost's previous experience is grounded in strong business principles and sensitivity to the appropriate integration of data to enhance operations.
Valerie M. Ford
Consultant
Valerie Ford is a Consultant with Murer Consultants, Inc and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Albion College. Ms. Ford joined the group after employment in the corporate world with a focus on communications acting as spokesperson for Best Buy Company. Since joining the firm in 2002, Ms. Ford has utilized her knowledge of the business world and focused her experience in the area of regulatory compliance for all venues of health care.
In addition to licensure and certification activities, Ms. Ford has assisted in provider based transitions, as well as mergers and acquisitions, and change of ownership transactions. Ms. Ford is a recognized expert as it relates to knowledge in the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) and Office of Civil Rights.
Ms. Ford maintains expertise in the area of Medicare Provider Enrollment for initial certification as well as revalidation for facilities, hospitals and health systems across the country. Provider types include short term acute care hospitals, long term acute care hospitals, home health agencies, hospice agencies, rural health clinics and skilled nursing facilities. In addition to Medicare provider enrollment, Ms. Ford has vast experience in State applications for initial provider enrollment, as well as State Medicaid services.
Matthew Dunne, J.D.
Consultant
Matthew Dunne, J.D., has joined Murer Consultants, Inc., as a consultant. He received his Juris Doctor from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana, in May 2009. Mr. Dunne has a B.S. in Business from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, where he majored in Business Economics and International Business. In the summer of 2008, he served as a summer legal intern at Danders & More in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Previous to joining Murer, Mr. Dunne worked in various business-related legal endeavors including both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He assisted in cases involving construction liens, as well as collaboration in filing articles of incorporation, writing bylaws, and gaining tax exempt status for non-profit organizations.
Mr. Dunne assists clients in a number of areas including development and management, regulatory filings, use of Federal grant money, financial analysis, provider-based attestations, reimbursement increases, and general compliance work. He practices with Federal law as well as the laws of numerous states. This work involves many types of clients, such as LTACHs, hospitals, physician practices, and CORFs. He also focuses on new and developing topics in health care law, such as ACOs, EHR incentive programs, and Medicare and Medicaid reform. Mr. Dunne's statistical acumen has resulted in the refinement of many of the Murer Consultants management audits and calcuations of financial projections and validations.
Daniel Avants, J.D.
Consultant
Daniel Avants, J.D., is a consultant with Murer Consultants, Inc. Mr. Avants received his Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, graduating with honors. While at Loyola, he was a Health Law Scholar and Senior Editor for Annals of Health Law, Loyola's nationally recognized health law journal. Mr. Avants also has a B.A. in Accounting which he earned at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
Currently, Mr. Avants focuses his work on innovative healthcare development activities, regulatory review, and compliance for health care facilities, such as general acute care hospitals, FQHCs, and other entities. He develops physician alignment strategies, including clinical co-management models. Mr. Avants also utilizes his financial background to create cost-benefit analyses and income projections for a variety of development projects. In addition, Mr. Avants has particular expertise regarding Electronic Health Records (EHR) regulation and incentive payment receipt. He has assisted providers across the country with the conversion of clinics and practices into provider-based hospital locations, as well as advising such facilities as to the benefits of the 340B reduced drug-pricing program, disproportionate share hospital designation, and other revenue-maximizing classifications. Mr. Avants' work assists healthcare providers nationally and his efforts aim to present a clear presentation of the expected benefits and potential risks of proposed projects and, ultimately, developing suggestions for revenue generation and cost savings.
Prior to joining Murer, Mr. Avants worked with a family law and real estate firm, after which he interned in the legal department of Provena Health where he wrote system-wide memoranda, reviewed hospital contracts with third-party vendors and employees, and analyzed contract and billing possibilities with hospitalists, hospitals, and medical groups.
Joelle M. Wilson, J.D.
Consultant
Michael A. Woods, J.D., M.P.H.
Consultant
Doriann Cain
Legal Intern
Doriann Cain joined Murer Consultants as a legal intern in the Summer of 2011. Ms. Cain is currently a third-year Juris Doctor candidate at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in Chicago, Illinois, where she is the Technical Productions Editor of the Annals of Health Law, the health law journal at Loyola. She is also a member of Loyola's National Health Law Transactional Competition Team and will receive her Juris Doctor and Health Law Certificate in May 2012. She received a Bachelor of Science is Public Health from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. She is a member of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys.
Prior to joining Murer Consultants, Ms. Cain served as a legal intern for the Office of State Senator Heather Steans. While there she conducted legal reserach and drafted memoranda on issues including community mental health rights and domestic voilence registry laws. Ms. Cain also spent a semester working at the Center for Disability and Elder Law where she provided information and assistance to pro se petitioners regarding the process and procedures for filing a petition and service of Summons and Notice in a guardianship proceeding.
At Murer, Ms. Cain focuses on provider-based status issues, which includes the completion of Federal Healthcare Provider/Supplier Enrollment Applications to ensure compliance with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Fiscal Intermediaries, as well as assisting clients with issues concerning provider licensure and Medicare certification. Her work also concentrates on the financial analysis of various types of medical facilities.
Karim Hussein
Legal Intern
Karim Hussein joined Murer Consultants as a legal in the Fall of 2011. Mr. Hussein is currently a second-year Juris Doctor candidate at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in Chicago, Illinois, where he is a junior editor on the Annals of Health Law, the health law journal at Loyola. He is also a fellow at the Beazley Institute for Health Law and Policy and will receive his Juris Doctor and Health Law Certificate in May 2013. He received a Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Murer, Mr. Hussein worked as an intern in the Office of General Counsel at Provena Health, based in Mokena, Illinois. At Provena, he assisted attorneys with employment law matters, real estate issues, employment law, and compliance. Mr. Hussein also spent a semester working at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in their Office of Legal Affairs, where he drafted memoranda on legal issues such as HIPAA compliance and revised and drafted internal hospital policies. Mr. Hussein also has several years of experience as a contracts and grants administrator at the University of California.
At. Murer, Mr. Hussein focuses on provider=based status issues, feasibility studies and ocmpliance issues for new facilities, the Certificate of Need process for ambulatory surgery centers, certification issues with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Fiscal Intermediaries, as well as state and private payor certification. Mr. Hussein also concentrates on reserach in the areas of new facility development of Community Mental Health Centers and Partial Hospitalization Programs, and contracting for participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and third party payors.
Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA
Consultant
Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA, is a consultant and an educator for health care coding and audits. She holds a MS degree in Health Services Administration from Cardinal Stritch University as well as a BS degree in Health Information Administration from the Viterbo University. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), a Certified Coding specialist for Physicians (CCS-P), and a Fellow of the American Health Information Management Association (FAHIMA).
With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Ms. Kuehn has held leadership positions in large physician organizations, both privately owned and hospital-based. Her experience includes operational assessment, coding and reimbursement system assessment, data quality management, compliance training, and information systems management for physician practices, surgery centers and ancillary diagnostic service providers.
Ms. Kuehn's technical expertise and experience have led her to author CPT/HCPCS and Reimbursement for Physician Services for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), now in the seventh edition. She has published numerous articles on health information management issues and is an active speaker and educator.
Jeffery L. Borello
Director, Information Technology
Jeffrey L. Borello has served as Director of Information Technology at Murer Consultants for over 12 years through the Strategic Initiative Alliance. His firm, Andromeda Computing Systems, has been in the forefront of technological change and its implementation since its founding.
At Murer Consultants, Mr. Borello manages both information and system technology as well as the Murer.com website. He is also involved with product development and promotion, client outreach, and Internet marketing efforts.
Mr. Borello has been active in the computer and software industry since 1986. His areas of expertise include network design and maintenance, systems integration, and software design.