Welcome & Keynote Address: Turn the Ship Around! Creating Leaders at Every Level(TM)
L. David Marquet, Keynote Speaker and Best Selling Author
David Marquet delivers a powerful Intent-Based Leadership message that leadership is not for the select few at the top; in highly effective organizations, there are leaders at every level.   This method of leadership is based on empowerment, not ego, not personality.  Join us as we hear David tell the story of breaking molds, and how this transformed his command.  

EMS Strategies for Reducing APOT Delays
Doug Wolfberg - Page, Wolfberg & Wirth LLP
Perhaps nowhere in the United States is the issue of hospital delays more acute – and more costly – than in California. In this critical session, EMS attorney and national EMS leader Doug Wolfberg – co-author of the acclaimed Ambulances Held Hostage series on the APOT issue – will illuminate key strategies that EMS agencies can take to confront the offload delay issue.  This session will include both strategies for EMS-hospital collaboration, and, if that fails, strategies that EMS can implement unilaterally to address this intractable problem. This session will also address strategies for working with your Local EMS Agency and other stakeholders on reducing your hospital offload delays.

Billing Survival Strategies for Medicare Managed Care
Maggie Adams - EMS Financial Services, Inc.
Reports indicate that Medicare Advantage membership and Medicaid managed care continue to grow. It was announced in April that over 46% of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in commercial plans. Their unique documentation and billing requirements frustrate providers from how to submit claims successfully to what to do to navigate denials and appeals. This session will discuss the how-to’s of required documentation, good billing processes, and follow-up for these important payers to protect compliance and revenue.

Public Relations in EMS: Enhancing and Protecting Your Brand
Brian Lochrie - Communications LAB
Diana Moreno - Communications LAB
What kind of impression do your community, your partners, and your employees have of your organization?  In this presentation we will talk about the importance of PR and how having a foundational approach will help you effectively communicate, engage, and build relationships with your audience to develop a positive public perception.  We will also give you some tips to strengthen your PR approach by developing content for social media platforms that are at the forefront of today’s methods for sharing information. 

A Gathering of Legals
Doug Wolfberg - Page, Wolfberg & Wirth LLP
Amber Healy - Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
Matthew R. Streger, Esq. - Keavney & Streger, LLC
Scott Moore - Moore EMS Consulting, LLC
Moderated by Rob Lawrence
In every element of EMS practice we are never far away from law and lawyers. From HR practices to litigation and reimbursement, cost collection and regulation we usually need a legal opinion and interpretation. We have invited many of our leading legal minds to opine (and possibly agree!) on the leading issues of the day. Executive Director, Rob Lawrence will facilitate this interactive session with top JDs, featuring Doug Wolfberg, Amber Healy, Matt Streger and Scott Moore. 

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Wait... Don't Leave! Employee Bonuses and Other Retention Strategies
Amber Healy - Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
In today’s competitive marketplace, attracting and retaining skilled employees is extremely challenging.  Competitors are utilizing creative strategies in their efforts to lure away talent and it is forcing employers to develop innovative retention strategies in order to hang on to their skilled workforce. Join Amber Healy, a partner with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, as she discusses the legal risks you may not be aware of when providing employee bonuses and implementing other retention strategies.

REIMBURSEMENT SESSION:
Five Things ERISA Payors Don't Want You To Know
Ed Norwood, ERN - The National Council of Reimbursement Advocacy
We are in a war. A war to preserve patient access to care. A war to advocate for medical appropriate healthcare for patients. So if you are having difficulty getting government claims paid, more than likely you are fighting with the wrong weapons. In this session, participants will learn how to challenge staff tactics and unnecessary requests for information inconsistent with the Summary Plan Description (SPD); How to challenge medical necessity denials; How to fight ERISA plans who fail to respond timely to authorization requests; Laws that give you the right to appeal as an authorized representative of the patient; Federal timeframes for ERISA emergency reimbursement and appeals and MORE! 

OPERATIONS SESSION:
EMS Transformation Update - What's Promising? What's Threatening?
Matt Zavadsky - MedStar Mobile Healthcare
The role of EMS continues to dramatically evolve. Agencies and practitioners are implementing new services that enhance the value EMS bring to patients, payers, hospitals, home care and hospice agencies. This session will provide an overview of the programs implemented over the past year and the ways they are generating value to their key stakeholders. Learning Objectives: Understand the ways the role of EMS continues to evolve; Learn 5 new programs that have been implemented over the past year; Understand the ways value is being determined for these new programs; Learn how to partner with others to change the environment to facilitate transformation.

GENERAL SESSION:
Building Trust Through Alignment
Shelly Hudelson - NAGE
Phil Petit - NAGE
Lee Almeida - TEMSA
Jason Brollini - AFSCME
This session will explore how the CAA collaborated with labor partners on a common goal and objective and what that means for the road forward. Panelists will also share their perspective of how and where to make improvements in working conditions and how that can enhance recruitment and retention efforts. 

REIMBURSEMENT SESSION:
Wine and Whine - A Discussion of Current Billing Challenges
Maggie Adams - EMS Financial Services, Inc.
Donna Hankins - American Ambulance
Melissa Harris - Ambuserve, Inc.
Asbel Montes - Solutions Group Consulting
Ed Norwood, ERN - The National Council of Reimbursement Advocacy
Doug Wolfberg, Esq. - Page, Wolfberg & Wirth
Let’s end Reimbursement Day 1 on a high note. Join our reimbursement specialists for wine and a discussion of the hot topics in California ambulance reimbursement. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk about the billing issues with other billing office staff. We’ll bring the wine, you bring the questions for our expert panelists.

OPERATIONS/EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Wine and Whine – PAGA Claims
Corey J. Cabral, Esq. - CDF Labor Law
Amber Healy, Esq. – Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
EMS employers are not immune to the outbreak of wage and hour and PAGA claims plaguing California businesses.  Healthcare is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the country, placing a bullseye on employers in this sector.  Attendees will be provided with an analysis of wage and hour issues impacting ambulance companies, best practices to avoid these types of claims, and strategies for defending them.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of our panelists so come prepared with your questions and we’ll provide the wine! 

GENERAL SESSION:
Lessons on Life and EMS, from the House of the Mouse
Matt Zavadsky - MedStar Mobile Healthcare
Steve Grau - Royal Ambulance
The magic of Disney is experienced differently as an adult compared to a child.  There are key things that Disney does exceptionally well that creates magical experiences for their guests, both young and old.  Disney’s culture and approach to the guest experience contain important lessons for EMS agencies, our leaders and our providers.  This insightful and humorous session will walk participants through the Matt’s recent experience at Walt Disney World, illustrate how the ‘Disney Factor’ can and should be applied to EMS.  Steve will explain how he applied concepts he learned as a participant in the Disney Institute to his agency, and the results from these applications.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Bad Bosses
Matthew R. Streger, Esq. - Keavney & Streger, LLC
Have you ever had that boss that you just could not stand? Maybe they were a micromanager, or a blame thrower, or they were threatened by you. How do you handle working for someone who makes you work, or your life, difficult? Let’s examine some of the common types of bad bosses, why the behavior is bad, what you should do with the boss, and how to identify if actually you are the bad boss and how to handle that!

REIMBURSEMENT SESSION:
What is your data telling you?
Asbel Montes, Solutions Group Consulting
Discover the power of using your data to reveal changing reimbursement trends. 

OPERATIONS SESSION:
Legal Case Studies: Four Key EMS Court Cases and Lessons Learned for Your Operations
Doug Wolfberg - Page Wolfberg & Wirth, LLC
Actual EMS law court cases are always interesting – and lively – ways to learn critical lessons from the mistakes of others.  In this insightful session, national EMS attorney Doug Wolfberg will present four EMS legal cases that directly impact EMS operational issues.  More importantly, this session will take the lessons of those cases and help you apply them to your agency’s operations to help you avoid falling into the same legal traps that befell those agencies.  

GENERAL SESSION:
CAA State of the Union/CAASE Awards Presentations
Moderated by James Pierson - Medic Ambulance Service
Attend this session to hear an overview of CAA activities over the last year and hear presentations from CAASE awards finalists.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Wellness - A Conversation That Matters
Mike Taigman - FirstWatch
Mike Taigman hosts a monthly webinar series, a Conversation That Matters (CTM), in which expert panelists are combined with the audience to discuss a topic and jointly create a solution. For this session, Mike will run his CTM to a live audience assisted by his usual co-host, our own Rob Lawrence. In the current era of EMS delivery, hardship and adversity have been ever present. Mike will use his decades of experience to highlight issues and discuss positive directions of travel.  

REIMBURSEMENT SESSION:
California Balance Billing
Donna Hankins - American Ambulance
Join Payer Issues Chairperson Donna Hankins to review the current (and forecast the future) state and federal regulations in place related to “commercial balance billing,” defined as commercial insurance underpayments that result in balance billing the patient for an amount over the stated copay and deductible provided to the patient by the insurance.  Included are tools to help identify underpayments and actionable steps to help providers obtain reimbursement when a commercial insurance underpays a claim.

OPERATIONS SESSION:
Deployment Dilemma - Is it time to ditch single tier, all ALS EMS Deployment?
Matt Zavadsky - MedStar Mobile Healthcare
Many EMS systems response ALS ambulances to every 9-1-1 emergency.  The basis for this system design has been both clinical and financial.  But, are all ALS systems actually harming patients, while making it more difficult to meet rising call volume demands with a shrinking workforce?  This dynamic, and at times controversial session will explore the pros and cons of ditching an all ALS single tier EMS system response model. Learning Objectives: Understand the historical reasons for an all ALS deployment model; Learn the current research on the impact of ALS on patient outcomes; Learn examples of highly respected EMS systems that use a tiered deployment model; Learn ways to implement change in your system.

Break in the CAA Marketplace / Vendor Raffle

GENERAL SESSION:
EMS on Fire
Scott Clough - AP Triton
William L. "Bill" Adams - Johnston and Thomas
James Pierson - Medic Ambulance
This session will review some models of public – private partnerships currently being done in California. How do partnerships work? How long have these partnerships been around? How can they provide services in our communities? Panelists include Scott Clough, a partner with AP Triton Consulting, LLC, a nation-wide emergency medical services consulting firm which specializes in maximizing revenue to states, counties, cities, and districts through their delivery of pre-hospital emergency medical services; William L. “Bill” Adams, with Johnston and Thomas which serves as counsel for Sonoma County Fire District and James Pierson, President and COO of Medic Ambulance and current CAA President. 

Closing Remarks & CAAPAC Raffle

Southern CA Ambulance Associations Meeting with CAA Board of Directors

CAA Board of Directors Meeting