HOMECARE CHAMP Kam Yuricich on building relationships

Published in HME State Associations on June 28, 2023

This interview was originally featured in HME News

HME NEWS: When AAHomecare named you this year’s Homecare Champion, the association cited your work securing relief for providers in Ohio and Indiana through funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, among other accomplishments. What’s the secret to your success?

Kam Yuricich: I can say, wholeheartedly, that my biggest takeaway from years of doing this is the importance of relationship building. It’s rapport with government officials as trusted, reliable partners in building a strong HME benefit that has them listening to what we have to say, increasing credibility for our industry. A huge hurdle we have as a health care provider in the continuum of care is that we represent 1% or 2% of the overall spend, so you lean on those relationships to get attention and affect positive change in a very busy world.

HME: What are some of the bigger successes you’ve played a part in from your perspective?

Yuricich: I’m super proud of obtaining those ARPA funds for providers in Ohio and Indiana. The opportunity was there through the act, but we had to step up and fight for it. Our OAMES president testified; I testified. It took a long time and incredible persistence to earn that financial relief for our members. While the effort focused on ARPA funds, it was bigger than that. It was planting a flag that HME providers are a critical sector in health care delivery. I’m also super proud of how, in the early days of Medicare’s competitive bidding program and what felt like the height of the fraud and abuse stories, we stepped forward in Ohio to get licensure for HME providers. We wanted to establish consumer protections and professional business practices, in response. We wanted to be able to say, “Here’s what we did, as an industry, to take responsibility.” That proactive approach gained recognition and accountability.

HME: What was your reaction to being named Homecare Champion?

Yuricich: It’s a huge honor but, more so, incredibly humbling, because it’s never just one person that achieves anything. It’s a lot of teamwork. It’s a lot of great leadership by our providers and by my fellow counterparts at state/regional associations. We inspire each other and pick each other up, all so we can keep the needle moving. And we do it because we believe in home care.

From Our Experts

Insights from the 2024 State Leaders Summit thumbnail Insights from the 2024 State Leaders Summit The VGM State Leaders Summit concluded in early February at the VGM headquarters in Waterloo, IA. State leaders from home medical equipment (HME) state associations traveled to Waterloo to collaborate on their priorities for 2024 and find ways to enhance their associations. You Got the Contract! …NOW WHAT?! A Short Series thumbnail You Got the Contract! …NOW WHAT?! A Short Series Congratulations! You FINALLY got the contract you've been working so hard on all these months. Now that you have it, what are the critical next steps you need to take to maintain and implement the contract and generate ROI? Welcome to the first of a short series of articles to help you accomplish just that. NAAOP Hosts First Ever In-Person Legislative Fly-In thumbnail NAAOP Hosts First Ever In-Person Legislative Fly-In Last week, 33 stakeholders, advocates, and leaders from around the O&P industry convened at the offices of Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC in Washington, D.C., as part of The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics's (NAAOP) first ever in-person legislative fly-in. Co-sponsored by OPGA, the fly-in kicked off with an in-depth discussion and strategy session surrounding several legislative priorities affecting O&P providers and patients. VGM Government Relations Unveils Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit to Empower DME Champions of Change thumbnail VGM Government Relations Unveils Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit to Empower DME Champions of Change The VGM Government Relations team is proud to announce the launch of its Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit, thoughtfully crafted to support durable medical equipment (DME) professionals, caregivers, industry partners, and patient advocates in advancing legislative initiatives that impact home medical equipment and services. Featuring Two Champions Of Change: Robert Beard of YD Home Medical & Rob Minicucci Jr. of Health System Services thumbnail Featuring Two Champions Of Change: Robert Beard of YD Home Medical & Rob Minicucci Jr. of Health System Services Today, we're proud to spotlight two outstanding durable medical equipment (DME) champions whose advocacy efforts are making a meaningful difference: Robert Beard of YD Home Medical of Alabama and Rob Minicucci Jr. of Health System Services of New York. These individuals took time out of their busy schedules to personally connect with elected officials, demonstrating how local action can spark national change. Survey: Share Your Thoughts on Proposed Accreditation Rule Changes thumbnail Survey: Share Your Thoughts on Proposed Accreditation Rule Changes CQRC, VGM, and AAHomecare are requesting your feedback on a new proposed rule that could significantly impact accreditation procedures. Under the proposal, accreditation organizations would be required to conduct site visits every year—a major shift from the current once-every-three-years schedule. WEBINAR: Navigating New CMS Guidelines: Unlocking Opportunities in NIPPV and RAD Coverage for COPD Care thumbnail WEBINAR: Navigating New CMS Guidelines: Unlocking Opportunities in NIPPV and RAD Coverage for COPD Care The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised the NCD for Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) in the home setting for treating Chronic Respiratory Failure (CRF) due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The changes aim to establish clear coverage policies for devices such as Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs) and home mechanical ventilators (HMVs), potentially expanding access to these critical therapies for eligible patients. Adapting to new CMS guidelin Bipartisan Medicare O&P Bill Introduced thumbnail Bipartisan Medicare O&P Bill Introduced In a timely move ahead of next week's NAAOP Legislative Fly-In, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act, a bill aimed at improving access to high-quality orthotic and prosthetic care for Medicare beneficiaries. The Patient-Centered Care Act seeks to address critical gaps in Medicare coverage for orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services. Under current rules, beneficiaries may receive devices without the necessary clinical services