Coding & Reimbursement for ASCs

Cristina Bentin, CMA, CPPM, CCS-P, COC, is the president of Coding Compliance Management, LLC, a healthcare consulting company specializing in Ambulatory Surgery Centers with an emphasis on ASC business operations assessments, revenue cycle audits, staff education, and ASC coding support. Ms. Bentin is recognized as an ASC revenue cycle educator, speaker, and writer with over 30+ years of hands-on experience in ASC multi-specialty facility and physician office revenue cycle operations. Cristina's expertise extends to her involvement in federal fraud investigations to include her role as an expert witness. Cristina currently serves on ASCA's education and programs committee.

Kris Brown is a Senior Coding & Auditing Manager at Surgical Notes. She started working in healthcare in 2000 in denial management when she discovered a passion for coding. She became a certified coder in 2004 and has experience in ASC, hospital outpatient surgery and observation, and professional coding. She is also a certified auditor and enjoys auditing and training new coders where she can share her knowledge and passion for coding. She is a Registered Healthcare Information Technician and graduate of Clarkson College in Omaha, NE with an Associate Degree in Health Information Technology.

Burke comes with over 26 years of experience in the healthcare arena, she started in healthcare at 18 as a receptionist for an orthopedic clinic, and she has done every possible job, except for being a provider. Burke’s true passion is coding, billing, education, and care coordination.

Currently, she is the lead coder and billing specialist/physician and staff educator for a private ASC, orthopedic and pain management practice in Auburn, WA. She currently serves as a subject matter expert for AAPC, Decision Health, Healthcare Inspired LLC, and several other private practices in WA state.

Coding Dialysis Access Interventions, PAD procedures, and other CardioVascular procedures and more for 17+ years. Includes Physician Office Surgical Billing, ASC Facility billing and Physician billing for ASC and Hospital IP/OP services.

Mandeara Frye worked in healthcare since 2000, with extensive ASC experience beginning in 2008 that includes business office management, revenue cycle, coding, and auditing. Mandeara is a certified auditor and enjoys training and educating coders and providers on correct, compliant coding. She is a graduate of Weber State University with a Bachelor's in Health Information Management. In addition to possessing several coding certifications, Mandeara is also certified in healthcare compliance (CHC, CPCO).

Juanita Mendoza is the Coding Services Manager for Sovereign Healthcare, an ASC Management Company based in Mission Viejo, CA, with projects in Arizona and California. She is responsible for physician and staff coding education, clinical documentation improvement, compliance audits, and oversight of all revenue cycle operations related to coding.

Ms. Mendoza began her career in healthcare 33 years ago as a receptionist at Phoenix Surgicenter, the nation’s first Ambulatory Surgery Center. While there, Ms. Mendoza had the privilege of working with Wallace A. Reed, MD, co-founder of Phoenix Surgicenter and pioneer of the ASC concept. At Surgicenter, she became proficient in ASC multi-specialty coding. Ms. Mendoza has also worked as an independent contractor specializing in ASC coding and auditing and currently performs contract audits for Coding Compliance Management, LLC.

Ms. Mendoza earned her AAPC CPC credential in 2003 and is also a CASCC.

Vontresa Moses is a seasoned coding professional holding certifications with the AAPC to include the CPC, COC, CPMA, CPC-I, and CASCC credentials. She currently works with Tenet Healthcare and United Surgical Partners as Director of Coding Compliance. She has been employed with USPI for 23 years and has spent the majority of her tenure as an ASC coding professional. Her practical experience includes working in the role of a coder, auditor, educator, and currently as Director of Coding Compliance.

She leads remote teams of both ambulatory surgical center coders and hospital inpatient and outpatient coders. Vontresa also actively engages with facility leaders and physicians, successfully presenting gastroenterology coding guidelines to both audiences. Her experience in gastroenterology coding and effective writing skills have proven as invaluable tools in maintaining coding compliance within her organization. She enjoys photography and spending time with her husband and 2 kids in her spare time.

Paula Vandenberg has 28 years of experience working in/with ASCs. She worked at a HealthSouth ASC as a receptionist starting in 1995 and was promoted to coding in 2001. She became a Certified Professional Coder in 2002, a Certified Outpatient Coder in 2003, and a Certified Inpatient Coder in 2015.

Paula has over 20 years of experience coding spinal surgeries and is a member of the North American Spine Society. She is currently working as a Performance Improvement analyst for SCA Health - Surgical Care Affiliates, Inc., which is one of the largest providers of outpatient surgery in the United States and has a network of over 200 ASCs. Along with her teammates in the Performance Improvement Department, she provides education, training, and coding support in the specialty of spinal and neurosurgery procedures for remote coders employed by SCA Health.