Mary Ann Lucas Named President-Elect of Memphis Chapter of AAPC

Memphis, TN—Mary Ann Lucas of Watkins Uiberall Healthcare Consulting Group, LLC was recently named President-Elect of the Memphis Chapter of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). Lucas will begin serving her term as President-Elect in January 2010 and will transition to the role of President in January 2011. “I am proud to be part of an organization that plays such an important role in the education and advancement of our local healthcare community,” said Lucas, who holds the designation of Certified Professional Coder – Apprentice (CPC-A). “I look forward to serving my term as President-Elect, and I am committed to help carry out the mission of the AAPC.” The AAPC was founded in 1988 in an effort to elevate the standards of medical coding by providing certification, ongoing education, networking and recognition. Currently, the AAPC has a membership base of 82,000 worldwide, of which more than 62,000 are certified. In her role as medical compliance analyst, Lucas provides medical compliance assessment and practice analysis for physician practices and healthcare organizations throughout the Mid-South. She also assists her clients by monitoring publications from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA) and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) for regulations, rulings and developments affecting medical practice management. Lucas is a graduate of Memphis State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1971. She has also completed some graduate studies in sociology. Beyond her new role with the AAPC, Lucas is actively involved with several professional and community organizations including the Mid-South MGMA, Lowenstein House, Lindenwood Christian Church, Memphis Scottish Society, Girl Scouts of America and Church of the Holy Communion. Watkins Uiberall has been providing reputable accounting and business consulting services in the Mid-South since 1971. As one of the largest locally-owned certified public accounting firms in Memphis, the firm employs over 60 individuals, including 9 partners and 40 professionals. Through its affiliated companies, Plan Administration Consulting, LLC and Watkins Uiberall Healthcare Consulting Group, LLC, the firm goes beyond the traditional services of tax accounting and auditing by offering clients extended services such as retirement plan administration and healthcare-focused business advisory and consulting services. For more information on the firm, please visit www.wucpas.com.