+About MBAA Leadership
Pat Palmer, Founder, Medical Billing Advocates of America
Pat Palmer pioneered the concept of advocacy on behalf of patients who were confronted with bogus, fraudulent and abusive healthcare charges. As CEO and President of Medical Recovery Services, it soon became glaringly apparent that billing errors, overcharges and insurance denials were plaguing patients nationwide. Responding to the need, Palmer founded MBAA and trained advocates nationwide. Palmer appeared on national television and radio broadcasts as well as every major newspaper in the country. Palmer authored The Medical Bill Survival Guide, the first Consumer Advocate Home Study Course, Co-authored The Medical Bill Workbook and many other advocacy manuals. In January 2009, Palmer honored her daughters with the title of President and Vice President for their long time commitment to the successful developement of Medical Billing Advocates of America nationwide.
Candice Butcher, President and CEO
Candice Butcher asisted her mother, Pat Palmer, for 10 years helping to develop and grow Medical Billing Advocates of America and Pat’s personal advocacy company, Medical Recovery Services. Candice spent several years as the association’s Director of Individual Consumer Research and performing recoveries for physicians with regard to insurance underpayments. She currently oversees the MBAA operations to ensure the growth of advocacy across the country and that all consumers and businesses have access to a helpng hand in controlling Healthcare cost. She is well versed in every type of clientele available to our advocates.
Christie Hudson, Vice President and COO
Christie Hudson, also daughter of Pat Palmer, has dedicated 9 years advocating to ensure consumers are not paying for items and services that do not meet the proper billing standards and acceptable reimbursement from insurance carriers. Christie is specialized in investigations of insurance benefits and policies on behalf of insurers. She curently runs the day to day operations of MBAA. Her passion is to help right the wrong in our Healthcare industry. Christie has an impressive number of successful recoveries for individual consumers throughout the country. She, also, is well versed in every type of clientele available to our advocates.
Rob Merena, Director of Consumer Education
Rob Merena has an extensive background in medical billing for large providers of services. His hands on experience negotiating with over 350 third party carriers has enabled him to quickly weed through the red tape and identify billing errors and resolve in the most cost effective way. In 1993 he filed a Qui Tam action (Whistleblower) against a large provider of services. For a period of four years he worked hand in hand with all departments of the federal government developing the case. In 1997 the case settled for $325 million, which was at the time the largest recovery ever by the federal government. He has been honored by Senator Charles Grassley as one of "Eight Who Made A Difference". He has been featured on Dateline NBC, CBS Evening News, ABC World News Tonight and in major periodicals. Rob is responsible for educating consumers and businesses on the benefits and features of "MyMedicalBill" Consumer Membership. "MyMedicalBill" Consumer Membership empowers the consumer with knowledge and resources to investigate their own medical bill and to identify possible billing errors. Detecting billing errors not only save the consumer out of pocket costs, it can lower the costs to businesses for healthcare coverage having an educated workforce.