Building on the first webinar’s overview of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, part two will help participants apply their knowledge to their own practices. The webinar will explore the two primary pathways for joining MA networks: direct contracting with a plan and participation through an aggregator or third-party network. Attendees will learn what the credentialing, contracting, and compliance processes look like in practice. They will also gain a clearer understanding of how to incorporate MA plans into their practices and develop effective strategies for outreach and provider network engagement.
During this session, participants will learn:
- Differentiate between contracting directly with an MA plan versus working through a benefit aggregator or third-party network (e.g., American Specialty Health, WholeHealth Living/Tivity Health) and identify the tradeoffs of each pathway.
- Describe the typical credentialing and contracting process for joining an MA provider network, including common application requirements (NPI, TIN, W-9, licensure, SAM/OIG checks, HIPAA/BAA compliance). Connect how a plan's member benefit is structured (session caps vs. dollar amounts) to the contract provisions therapists agree to, including fee schedules, session authorizations, documentation standards, and billing/claims requirements.
- Identify practical strategies for determining which plans or aggregators to approach based on local MA enrollment, benefit availability, and their own practice model. Explain the MA plan calendar and key timing windows for provider network engagement relative to the coverage year.
- Recognize that joining an MA network does not guarantee volume and articulate what additional steps are needed to generate member utilization.
Joseph June is an Analyst at ATI Advisory, where he conducts qualitative and quantitative research with a focus on the Medicare population and Medicare Advantage plan coverage and benefits. He previously worked as a Market Research Analyst at Benefytt Technologies, analyzing federal health policies and MA plan benefits, and as a research analyst at the University of South Florida studying long-term care settings. June holds a doctorate in Aging Studies from the University of South Florida and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
Rose Mollitor is a Managing Director at ATI Advisory with over 15 years of experience helping health plans, providers, and the federal government navigate Medicare Advantage (MA). Before joining ATI, Rose served as an Executive Director for Medicare Advantage at CVS Health, where she shaped product and benefit strategies for more than 800 Aetna Medicare plans, including the development of new and innovative Medicare benefits. Rose’s public sector experience includes serving as Acting Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as a Senior Medicare Program Examiner at the White House Office of Management and Budget, where she led work on Medicare Advantage and Part D. Mollitor holds a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University.
Claire Wynne is a Manager at ATI Advisory with over 5 years of experience advising clients on managed care policy and program operations. Before joining ATI, Claire was a Health Practice & Systems Analyst at The MITRE Corporation, where she advised the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Medicare and Medicaid programs. Her work focused on translating complex policies and regulatory requirements into clear, practical guidance. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University.
Course Expiration
Please note that you must complete each AMTA online learning course and pass the exam one year from the date of purchase. If you do not complete the course and pass the exam within one year, you will be required to re-purchase the course.
Online courses expire one year from the date of purchase. When a course expires, you will no longer have access to the course materials and will be required to re-purchase the course.
Course Approval Code(s)
LCEU0005051
Copyright
This course contains information that is proprietary. None of the material contained within this course may be used without the express written permission
of AMTA unless otherwise indicated in the course. As a reminder, before practicing any new modalities or techniques, check with your state’s massage therapy
regulatory authority to ensure they are within the state’s defined scope of practice for massage therapy.
Refunds
Online courses are non-refundable. AMTA will not cover fees incurred from duplicate payments, insufficient funds, stopped payments or credit/debit cards over
credit limits.