Strengthening Medical Group Management Leaders

Mary E. Muchow

Mary E. Muchow is a Specialist in Provider Outreach & Education (POE) and has over 38 years of experience with WPS GHA. Mary has held progressively responsible positions in Claims Examination and Entry, Medical Review, and Training. Prior to joining the POE team, Mary spent several years working in the Benefit Integrity Unit as an investigator and trainer for other staff. Later, as the Medicare Fraud Information Specialist (MFIS), Mary represented multiple Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contractors as a liaison between federal investigators, prosecutors, CMS, and other agencies. In her MFIS role, Mary often presented relevant Medicare fraud and abuse topics to law enforcement and audiences on a national level.

Mary joined the POE team in 2003. She enjoys supporting and providing outreach activities that meet CMS requirements relative to provider education, including the development of professional and productive provider partnerships with various societies and associations. She also serves as a member of CMS’ Medicare Learning Network (MLN) National Provider Education Workgroup.

Jorri Smith

Jorri Smith joined Priority Health in 2012 and currently serves as the manager of provider communications. Her background includes project and program management and marketing communications roles across health care and other industries. Jorri holds a master’s degree from Central Michigan University and a bachelor’s from Grand Valley State University.

Sam Bartholomew

Sam Bartholomew is a provider programs specialist on Priority Health’s provider communications team. She joined Priority Health in 2017 as a marketing specialist in the Government Programs department. Her background includes marketing and communications roles in the health care and technology industries. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College Chicago.

Ken Axtell

30 plus years experience in all aspects of the Managed Care environment. Currently responsible for the education and servicing of providers regarding all aspects of McLaren Health Plan and its subsidiaries. Responsible for assisting in the development of policy, procedures, and educational materials for use with all Provider Programs and for the development of benchmarks to measure performance against MHP’s goals. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with key administrative / executive staff of contracted medical delivery entities (i.e. physician organizations, physician hospital organizations, faculty groups, large independent groups, hospitals, etc.). Responsible to develop and maintain routine communications with such groups, performing presentations, education, and other activities to support MHP’s provider servicing goals. Responsible for contracting of PCP’s, Specialists, and Ancillary providers in defined service are of central lower Michigan

Charlie Bono

Charlie Bono works as a Provider Consultant for facility and professional providers in northeast Michigan. Although he has worked for Blue Cross and Blue Care Network since 1995, his experience also includes working as the Marketing Director at a head injury rehabilitation center and home health agency.

Charlie is also an active educator; having served as an adjunct faculty member at Davenport University and as a high school teacher. During his leisure time Charlie is actively involved in community theater, is a marathon runner, a painter and once rode his bicycle from Marco Island Florida to Gaylord, Michigan.