VGM & ASSOCIATESHealthcare MSO
Full Menu Search

A Tribute to John Gallagher: A Journey of Dedication and Memories

Published in Government Relations on January 08, 2025

By Emily Harken

John Gallagher

When I started working for John Gallagher 12 years ago, I often heard the phrase, “baptism by fire.” I quickly learned what that meant. At the time, the team consisted of John Gallagher, Mark Higley, and Tom Powers, and they were all constantly on the road. 

I would get a phone call from John saying, “The ESRD was just released, look it up and write up a summary, we need to get this to our members ASAP. I’m hopping on a plane…get it out before the end of the day.”  

My thoughts were, “What the heck is an ESRD? Oh, a 75-page document that has very little to do with DME? Great.” Somehow, I made it through the years of industry and government terminology, thanks to the “baptism by fire.” 

Well, the demands from John didn’t necessarily get any easier, but I was able to navigate through them, thanks to his guidance and the invaluable experiences I gained along the way. John, your dedication, leadership, and the countless memories we’ve shared will always be cherished.  

Just a few fun facts about John that not everyone may know…or maybe you do.

  • Other than his family, John is most proud of being inducted into the United States ARMY ROTC and University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Hall of Fame back in 2016. He sat next to General Colin Powell at the ceremony.  
  • When attending the University of Northern Iowa, John played the Coors Wolf. Yes, he dressed up as a wolf and went around campus selling Coors products. 
  • John and Mark Higley were always bickering about who had the most Delta miles and Hilton Honors points. 
  • John’s most memorable moment at VGM was shortly after he started in 2002. Van Miller and Jim Walsh had everyone dress in red, white, and blue and stand on the Ansborough Ave overpass, waving American flags over the interstate. Then everyone went back in and packed care packages to send to soldiers during the Iraq War. This is when Van took to calling John the “Gov. guy.” As an “old soldier,” John realized he had made the right choice in coming to work at VGM. 

John Gallagher

  • In retirement, John is looking forward to spending time with his lovely bride, Beth, of 41 years, their six children, and especially his two grandkids, Quinn and Sonny. John also plans to attend most of his son’s basketball games with Northwest Missouri State in the MIAA Conference. 

Farewell, John! We thank you for your many years of exhausting travel, deep devotion, and unwavering advocacy for the DMEPOS industry. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement! 

Feel free to wish John well in retirement by clicking and recording yourself on this link. John will enjoy these well wishes in retirement. https://share.vidday.com/e/r-jmq57g   

A retirement party will be held for John on Wednesday, Jan. 29. If you’re interested in attending, please reach out to me at emily.harken@vgm.com for additional details. 

The VGM Government Relations Team Seeking Champions of Change in 2025 

VGM Government Team

Our team may look a bit different these days, but our goals and mission remain the same. We continue to be 100% focused on supporting our members, the State Associations, and all of our industry stakeholders. The VGM Government Relations team is excited to work with the new Congress as well as some returning champions in 2025.

“Growing Champions of Change” 

During the next year, we will fully embrace the challenge to grow advocates within our industry. Building off our Champions of Change focus from last year, 2025 will be focused on “Growing Champions of Change.” This will be the resounding theme in all our marketing, legislative activities, and in our information and education. 

Advocacy 

Legislators want to hear from their constituents, not lobbyists! With our “Growing Champions of Change” campaign, VGM Government Relations will continue to educate VGM members and supplier partners to become more engaged in advocacy activities by providing information, resources, and tools for them to be better prepared to deliver our message to elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government. We want every legislator to have a DMEPOS company or person to connect with. 

The DMEPOS Industry Just Makes $Cents$ 

In 2025, the message to legislators will be that the DMEPOS industry just makes $Cents$. The key challenge is the growing “barriers” to home healthcare. Lower reimbursement rates have caused many of our members to restrict service areas and opt out of selling/services certain product lines. This creates barriers for patients to get equipment/services in a timely and efficient manner. Greater travel distances, online shopping, and confusion of resources limit patients' ability to receive the care they need in their home. 

We hope you will join the fight! 

Now is not the time to go silent! At VGM, we look forward to working with our VGM members and the DME state associations to build a stronger tomorrow. Congress is now back in session. Please continue to build relationships with your legislators and their staff members. 

We hope you will join us in the fight in 2025! We look forward to continuing the battle for accessibility and fair reimbursement for quality goods and services. 

Get Connected

Stay up-to-date on the latest resources and news provided by VGM & Associates.

Sign Up for Email

From Our Experts

Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? thumbnail Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? This experience has increasingly become one of the most common questions we receive from our provider members as more and more payers move to narrow their provider networks. The reasons payers seek to narrow their networks are simple. Payers are highly motivated to achieve their goals while doing less work and are not required to allow providers into their networks unless there is a patient access issue. For those of you fortunate enough to be a part of a narrow network, this may not be much of Congress Returns: Medicaid Cuts Take Center Stage thumbnail Congress Returns: Medicaid Cuts Take Center Stage Congress is back in session after a two-week recess. Number one on the docket is figuring out the budget. The house is tasked with coming up with a $1.5 trillion reduction and a key committee is in the spotlight. The DMEPOS Relief Act Of 2025 – WE NEED YOUR HELP! thumbnail The DMEPOS Relief Act Of 2025 – WE NEED YOUR HELP! The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025 (or H.R. 2005) is bipartisan legislation that was recently introduced in Congress designed to increase reimbursement for a large percentage of HME providers across the country. This bill establishes a higher reimbursement rate (known as the 75/25 blended rate) for durable medical equipment in nonrural/noncompetitive bidding areas under Medicare until Dec. 31, 2025. Champion Of Change: Lauryn Estrella Speaks On Tariffs Impacting HME Providers And Patients thumbnail Champion Of Change: Lauryn Estrella Speaks On Tariffs Impacting HME Providers And Patients Today, we shine a spotlight on Lauryn Estrella, the dedicated Executive Director of Home Medical Equipment and Services Association of New England (HOMES) and a true Champion of Change in the HME industry. Ensuring Access To Care: The Fight For Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities thumbnail Ensuring Access To Care: The Fight For Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities Americans utilizing telehealth services to access healthcare is at an all-time high. It's a convenient method without having to leave the home, giving access to healthcare professionals from anywhere. It expands a patient's choice of provider and enables the provider the ability to see more patients. SOAR Act Takes Flight: Bipartisan Push To Improve Supplemental Oxygen Access And Medicare Protections thumbnail SOAR Act Takes Flight: Bipartisan Push To Improve Supplemental Oxygen Access And Medicare Protections The Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act has been reintroduced in both the House and Senate. In the House, the bipartisan H.R. 2902 was introduced by Representatives David Valadao (R-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Gabe Evans (R-CO). Meanwhile, in another show of bipartisan support, S1406, was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Melanie Ewald Joins VGM Government Relations Team As VP Of Payer Relations And Reimbursement thumbnail Melanie Ewald Joins VGM Government Relations Team As VP Of Payer Relations And Reimbursement VGM Government Relations is proud to announce the addition of Melanie Ewald as Vice President Of Payer Relations And Reimbursement. VGM Host DME State Leaders Summit, NIV comment period closes this Thursday, Tariffs, Telehealth, Great Lakes Annual Conference thumbnail VGM Host DME State Leaders Summit, NIV comment period closes this Thursday, Tariffs, Telehealth, Great Lakes Annual Conference Last week, VGM had the privilege of hosting the State Leaders Summit 2025—a gathering that united passionate and dedicated leaders from across the country. These remarkable professionals, representing the very best of the DMEPOS industry, brought their energy, expertise, and compassion to the heart of the Midwest for an event that will be remembered for years to come.

Give your business an advantage over the competition.

Become a Member