Join us for an insightful webinar aimed at orthopedic practitioners, administrators, and healthcare professionals seeking clarity on how the newest regulations in Washington D.C. may influence orthopedic practice operations and patient care.

This session will include an update on what is currently occurring in legislation and upcoming regulatory conversations from LobbyIt. Following the update, which includes a special emphasis on the new CMMI Value Based Program TEAM, we will have a panel discussion with our lobbying firm representative and Advocacy Council members, lead by our esteemed past president Megan O'Hara.


Learning Objectives:

Discuss legislation in progress and where that legislation stands.

Analyze regulatory changes being proposed and already put into place.

Discuss and interpret the new TEAM program from CMMI, to go live in 2026.

Speakers:

Cameron Wheeler, Director of Government Relations, LobbyIt

Cameron Wheeler joined the LobbyIt team as Director of Government Relations in July 2023. Before joining Lobbyit, Cameron was a lobbyist for David Turch and Associates, where he managed their Upper Midwest portfolio. He specialized in municipalities and the appropriations process and was instrumental in providing research and background information on legislative and policy developments, securing federal funding for critical infrastructure projects in a sizable city.

Prior to that, Cameron worked as a Research Assistant for the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, focusing on North American trade policy. This role entailed daily analysis of news articles, government briefings, and press releases, resulting in comprehensive analyses of North American trade policy.

Cameron grew up in Wellington, FL. He holds a BS in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University and a MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University.

Alissa Ashley-High, Practice Administrator, Orthopaedic Associates of Marlborough, PC

Alissa is the Practice Administrator with Orthopaedic Associates of Marlborough, and has been with the group for over 6 years. As a small practice administrator, Alissa is involved in every aspect of the practice, from the clinical and administrative front line to the behind-the-scenes revenue cycle team. Alissa started her career as License Practical Nurse working in rehabilitation centers as a charge nurse. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration and pursued a Career in Practice Management with a growing Urgent Care System before transitioning to Practice Administrator in Orthopaedics.

An AAOE member since 2017, Alissa has been active in volunteering on the Young and New Professionals Committee, Membership Committee, Advocacy Counsil, Education Committee, and Annual Conference Committee. In her free time, Alissa is married to an emergency medicine physician and is mother to two elementary school aged girls. Alissa is an active member of her children’s PTO. She enjoys traveling with her family, especially going to the beaches of Cape Cod and Virginia Beach. In the winter, they enjoy skiing and other snowy activities.

Paul Bruning, Service Line Director - NeuroMusculoskeletal, Sutter Health

Dr. Bruning is the Neuromusculoskeletal Service Line Director for Sutter Health, Silicon Valley Market. Paul has worked within the musculoskeletal field for over 35 years, joining Sutter Health in 2022. Paul has served on the Board of Directors for the American Alliance of Orthopedic Executives (AAOE), Athletic Trainers in Physician Practice Society (ATPPS), and the Florida Orthopedic Society. He currently serves as an assistant editor for the Journal of Orthopedic Experience and Innovation (JOEI), and as Advocacy Council Chair for the AAOE. Paul is recognized as a national speaker on orthopedic administration, value-based care, and patient reported outcome measures.

Jennifer Oddo, Clinical Performance Improvement Consultant (CPIC), Sutter Health

Jen Oddo, Clinical Performance Improvement Consultant (CPIC) for the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service Line at Sutter Health is a highly engaged professional drawing on nearly twenty-five years of clinical and administrative experience in the Orthopedic space. She holds a Master of Physical Therapy from University of California, San Francisco and a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Jen has collaborated with providers and operational leaders across Sutter Health to develop and lead new clinical processes and programs to ensure the best patient, family, and staff experience across the care continuum while meeting and exceeding operational, clinical, and patient goals.

This approach has been instrumental in her success assisting hospitals during the CMS Comprehensive Joint Replacement (CJR) Bundled Payment Program, with their Joint Commission or Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Advanced Certification, as well as national recognitions like Blue Distinction in Total Joint and Spine, and will support the new CMS CMMI TEAM program slated to begin in 2026, as well.


Megan O'Hara, Practice Manager, Robert V Moriarty MD PC

Megan is the Practice Manager for Robert V Moriarty MD PC in Huntington, NY where she successfully manages a private solo orthopedic practice in conjunction with a separate IME business. She has served 22 years as an administrator in the healthcare environment.

Megan started her career in an entry level position, and has a unique perspective of all aspects of the day to day operations of a medical group practice with an emphasis in orthopedics. Her experience ranges from front office reception to all facets of billing including insurance contract negotiation, durable medical equipment, physical therapy, and practice management.


Michael Piquero, Director of Government Relations, LobbyIt

Michael Piquero joined the Lobbyit team as Director of Government Relations in May 2024. Prior to this, he served as Counsel and Legislative Assistant to Rep. H. Morgan Griffith (VA-9), managing a diverse legislative policy portfolio that encompassed health, defense, foreign affairs, veterans’ affairs, judiciary, science, space, technology, and appropriations. His contributions to various legislative initiatives, including the National Defense Authorization Act, FISA reform, stillborn research funding, and veterans’ health, are a testament to his unwavering commitment.


Before his time on Capitol Hill, Michael honed his legal skills as an Attorney-Advisor for the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. In this role, he was directly involved in engaging with federal regulations, investigating whistleblower legal claims, and managing the process of resolving cases or pursuing prosecution. This experience provided Michael with a deep understanding of the Executive Branch, as the whistleblowers’ issues he dealt with spanned across a wide range of U.S. Federal Agencies.


Michael’s academic journey includes a degree from the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., and Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, where he majored in History and Political Science. Currently residing in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Michael finds joy in reading history, and playing the guitar.


Zelda Rariden, Practice Administrator, Spine and Scoliosis Center

Zelda is the Practice Administrator of the Spine and Scoliosis Center in Central Florida and has been with the group for 17 years. She is involved in every aspect of the clinic from compliance, clinical, administrative, HR to financials. Zelda has a Master’s Degree in Molecular Genetics and an MBA in Healthcare Management.

Zelda is currently serving on the AAOE Advocacy Council and has also served on the Ambassador Committee and Education Council. She is also on the Board of Directors of Florida MGMA. Zelda is a passionate about advocating for policies that improve patients' health care and well-being along with a persistent push for better reimbursement for physicians and the elimination of unnecessary administrative tasks that hinders the practice of medicine.