Irene Onyango

Senior Associate, Healthcare Advisory

2021 - Current

Federal - Healthcare Government Solutions (HGS) Commercial - Healthcare Internal Audit & Enterprise Risk Management (IA&ER)

Co-Founder

2020

• Empower Us Agency serves as an industry linkage to support innovative Black entrepreneurs to connect with social and financial investment opportunities. We are committed to creating a cultural shift in the industry to promote positivity and expansion of Black-owned businesses, and more importantly, cultivating generational wealth. • For incubators and accelerators, we provide a variety of consultative services including impact reporting and industry expertise, to helping increase their recruitment efforts and deal flow by sourcing entrepreneurial talent.

Venture Scout

2020

Consultant

2019 - 2021

• Assisted healthcare providers (safety-net hospitals, academic medical centers, physician practice groups, etc.) and States with developing innovative value-based care (VBC) program solutions to increase the amount of federal funding received annually. • Designed and implemented projects in several areas, including Medicaid financing, reimbursement, managed care, value-based care, process improvement, quality and performance metrics, digital health, strategy, business development, and provider policy.

Health Insurance Specialist Intern

2018 - 2018

Consortium for Medicaid and Children's Health Operations (CMCHO), Philadelphia Regional Office (RO3): • Reviewed incoming waivers and amendments to ensure federal compliance under Virginia Medicaid expansion to provide coverage for over 400,000 potentially eligible individuals. • Provided technical assistance on a variety of materials, including correspondence and technical briefings for senior officials. • Analyzed and reviewed healthcare policies to ensure accuracy and consistency with legislation, regulations, statutes, and laws. • Helped coordinate, plan, & develop CMS correspondence, decision memoranda, other issue papers, and written reports. • Conducted analytical studies and evaluated the effectiveness of health care program initiatives by gathering, organizing, and interpreting data.

Project Management Office (PMO) Graduate Intern

2017 - 2017

• Supported the goals of Temple University Hospital (TUH) by analyzing processes in order to lower costs, increase revenue, and improve patient experience. • Worked collaboratively with TUH process improvement experts, senior level leadership, and front-line staff on projects using Lean & Six Sigma methodologies for improvement. • Obtained professional development in project management, Lean & Six Sigma methodologies, leadership, and working in a hospital environment. • Gained leadership skills while supervising undergraduate interns.

International Research Intern

2017 - 2017

• Researched and verified key information for over 200 certified hospitals/clinics in Kenya to connect international travelers with hospitals around the world via advanced technology that offers data in a user friendly format for travelers and organizations. • Led individual project to validate and assess appropriate levels of health care in Kenya by adding information to over 40 data segments for each certified hospital/clinic to help develop the world’s first and only global comprehensive database compiled of 30,000 international hospitals. • Communicated and collaborated with international health care staff and executives by establishing a point of contact at each facility to determine and benchmark the level of services available for inbound foreign travelers who may potentially need access to health care services and information while abroad. • Utilized resources to obtain information from the Ministry of Health, County Government officials, Foreign Commonwealth Office, World Health Organization, international medical insurers, and more.

Healthcare Consultant

2015 - 2016

EMR Software Implementation: • Participated in the implementation of an EMR software system for one of the largest home health & hospice care providers in the country. • Trained clinicians and back-office staff on how to effectively use the newly implemented software, and point of care devices. • Educated office staff on how to transition patients from the agency's legacy system to the newly implemented system. • Provided remote support during non-traveling weeks by answering questions in order to ensure the clinicians and back office staff fully understood the system. Cash Acceleration/Revenue Recovery: • Analyzed patient accounts and suggested course of action in order to accurately identify and collect revenue for home health & hospice organizations (i.e. overpayments, underpayments, adjustments, write-offs, appeals, etc.). • Reviewed aged claims in attempt to collect outstanding revenue from commercial and Medicare/Medicaid payers. • Responsible for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance billing and collections, financial reporting, forecasting, and revenue cycle assessment. Physician Documentation Tracking/Follow Up: • Completed timely documentation tracking from physicians in order to comply with Medicare/Medicaid guidelines, and ensure regulatory compliance to receive payments. Insurance Verification/Prior Authorization: • Obtained prior authorizations and verified patient eligibility to increase revenue and decrease the number of write-offs due to unauthorized visits. General: • Provided solutions designed to increase profitability, improve operations, and ensure the financial health of clients. • Conducted interviews on potential candidates for the firm. • Participated in Medicare/Medicaid and bi-weekly trainings to stay up to date on industry news, regulations, and changes in order to serve clients effectively. • Prepared status reports and return-to-client documentation.

Revenue Cycle Specialist

2014 - 2014

• Posted payments into the databases for all branches and managed patient accounts by analyzing EOBs (explanation of benefits) & remittance advice. • Prepared claims for submission by ensuring appropriate diagnosis codes, or resubmission based on detected errors. • Managed patient accounts by running and analyzing ageing reports to ensure proper payments were made, then followed up with payers accordingly.

Student Library Assistant

2011 - 2014

• Student Assistant at the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Library. • Contributed to the ‘William Still: An African-American Abolitionist’ project.