Full-Time
Reimbursement Analyst/Accountant
Appalachian Regional Healthcare
No salary listed
Lexington, KY, USA
Remote
 Accounting (1) |
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- B.S. Degree in accounting with minimum of 2 years experience in preparation of Medicare/Medicaid cost reports.
- Files Medicare, Medicaid and other third party cost reports to determine interim rate and periodic interim payments and monitors adequacy of interim rate and recommend alternate arrangements that will improve reimbursement.
- Reviews Federal Register and CCH updates regarding impact of proposed and newly activated regulations; develop and submit comments to appropriate agency and advise administration of exposure and alternative action available.
- Maintain and monitor statistical system to support cost reports.
- Review and revise as necessary, systems used for monthly estimates of allowances and periodically prepares interim cost reports to support the reasonableness of monthly estimates.
- Reviews operation and organization of individual hospitals and corporate structure to determine statistics, billing and other systems resulting in maximum reimbursement.
- Reviews contractual arrangements with physicians and others such as insurance companies and assesses reimbursement impact and recommends alternate arrangements that will improve reimbursement.
- Assists ARH units that are developing and implementing new and revised programs by determining reimbursement impact.
- Monitors the audits performed by intermediaries; assesses the impact of adjustments and determines the reasonableness and acceptability of same; and proposes necessary appeals relating to unacceptable adjustments.
- Participates in the preparation of the monthly financial statement, related exhibits and accompanying memorandums in accordance with generally acceptable accounting principles.
- Participates in the preparation of schedules used by various auditors in their determination of the accuracy of accounting records.
- Participates in the preparation of various tax returns and financial surveys.
- Performs other related duties as assigned
Company Size
N/A
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$3.7M
Headquarters
Barbourville, Kentucky
Founded
1955
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Hazard ARH added six birthing suites in March 2026 to support ~350 annual births with family-centered care.
- The new Lifestyle Medicine service targets root causes of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
- ARH’s Goodwill partnership strengthens Kentucky’s healthcare workforce pipeline for its 14-hospital system.
What critics are saying
- Pike County’s $3.26M non-payment for psychiatric care (March 2021–September 2025) causes immediate cash-flow strain.
- OIG’s $21,979 penalty for employing an excluded individual triggers escalated audits and potential Medicare exclusion.
- DOJ’s $150,000 settlement for fraudulent stimulant prescriptions and poor controlled substance records damages federal reimbursement eligibility.
What makes Appalachian Regional Healthcare unique
- ARH operates 14 hospitals across Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia serving over 500,000 residents.
- ARH partners with Alice Lloyd College to train physicians committed to returning to mountain communities.
- ARH launched Lifestyle Medicine and new birthing suites to expand preventive and maternity care in rural areas.
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Benefits
Professional Development Budget
Company News
Joey Waddell named CEO of Whitesburg ARH Hospital. WHITESBURG, Ky. (WXKQ) - Appalachian Regional Healthcare has named Joey Waddell as the new Chief Executive Officer of Whitesburg ARH Hospital. Waddell brings more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience and most recently served as chief operating officer at Highlands Regional Medical Center. A native of Eastern Kentucky and U.S. Army veteran, Waddell has held leadership positions in Kentucky and Indiana and says he looks forward to leading the hospital while continuing to improve healthcare services for the people of Central Appalachia.
Appalachian health system sues EKY county over $3M in unpaid psychiatric care. April 9, 2026 12:17 PM Gift Article An Appalachian regional nonprofit health system is suing one Eastern Kentucky county for more than $3 million in unpaid psychiatric medical care it says it provided inmates at the county jail dating back nearly five years. Appalachian Regional Healthcare, headquartered in Hazard and operating 14 hospitals across Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia, filed suit against Pike County and Jailer Brian Morris in December. Summons in the dispute were delayed until earlier this month. The regional health care chain claims Pike County and the jail breached an implied contract and received unjust enrichment by failing to pay a total of 93 inpatient psychiatric medical bills from March 2021 to September 2025. The company says the Pike County Detention Center has paid previous invoices, which established an agreement through the dealings and is enforceable as a contract under Kentucky law. Despite repeated demands, ARH says the county has refused to pay the remaining balances, however. Morris said he has not yet had an opportunity to investigate the claims, but he believes the individuals who were treated by ARH professionals were no longer in custody nor prisoners at that time. That was communicated to the company before it initiated the lawsuit, he said. "To date, it is my understanding that we have received no proof of these claims outside of a demand for payment by ARH," he said. "I am also not sure at this time if ARH ever attempted to properly bill these individuals' health insurance providers prior to making these claims." Under Kentucky law, "the cost of providing necessary medical, dental, and psychological care for indigent prisoners in the jail shall be paid from the jail budget." Inmates are not to be considered medically indigent if they are actively covered by a medical insurance policy. Morris said he is investigating the matter because the detention center hasn't paid ARH for other treatment during or after the 2021-25 period for which the company claims the county is delinquent. "I cannot justify or support the payment of Pike County citizens' tax dollars to ARH or any other entity without some proof being provided that these monies are rightly owed," he said. ARH did not immediately respond to a Herald-Leader request for comment Thursday. Morris, a former Pike County deputy judge-executive, is in a tight primary race to decide who replaces Judge-Executive Ray Jones in 2027. Appointed jailer in late 2017 after former Jailer Freddie Lewis resigned, Morris won a crowded Democratic primary in 2018 and secured the post for another four years in that year's general election. In 2022, he ran unopposed. Late last year, Morris dropped out of his third Pike County jailer race to run for judge-executive as a Republican shortly after Pike County Schools Superintendent Reed Adkins exited the race. Morris faces attorney Suzy Gibson Shearer, who is also a Republican. April 9, 2026 5:30 AM Politics & Government April 6, 2026 12:32 PM Lexington Herald-Leader Austin R. Ramsey covers Kentucky's eastern Appalachian region and environmental stories across the commonwealth. A native Kentuckian, he has had stints as a local government reporter in the state's western coalfields and a regulatory reporter in Washington, D.C. He is most at home outdoors.
ARH highlighted nationally as model for Food Is Medicine innovation. * Special to Appalachian Newspapers * Apr 9, 2026 * Comments Appalachian Regional Healthcare is gaining national attention for showing food can play a powerful role in improving health, according to a statement from ARH. ARH, the statement said, was highlighted as a national best-practice model for Food Is Medicine during the recent launch of the Florida Food Is Health Institutional Procurement Initiative in Miami. The event was part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' nationwide Take Back Your Health campaign focused on strengthening hospital food systems and expanding patient access to nutritious, locally sourced foods that can help prevent and manage chronic disease. The national event brought together hospital leaders, agricultural partners, and federal officials focused on expanding how nutrition is integrated into patient care across healthcare systems across the country, the statement said. During the event, ARH President and CEO Hollie Harris was invited to help lead a national roundtable convened by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., alongside Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, according to the statement. Harris, the statement said, was asked to help guide the discussion because of ARH's leadership in implementing Food Is Medicine strategies across rural hospital settings and communities. "We are honored to share what we've learned through ARH's Food Is Medicine work and the partnerships that have made it possible across our service area," Harris said. "For too many years, health systems have focused on treating the most serious health conditions rather than finding ways to keep people well in the first place. Science and years of research have told us that food is medicine, and as healthcare providers, we have an important responsibility to help it continue to grow as part of how we care for patients and the communities they call home." Rather than treating nutrition as an add-on, the statement said, ARH embeds it into patient care across its multi-hospital system. ARH screens patients for food insecurity, offers produce prescriptions, provides medically tailored meals, and serves healthier hospital food. This approach addresses the root causes of chronic disease while supporting both recovery and long-term wellness, according to the statement. "When health systems take food seriously, it changes lives," said Harris, who also serves as co-chair of Kentucky's statewide Food Is Medicine Initiative alongside Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell. "At ARH, Food Is Medicine isn't theoretical - it has become a major part of how we care for our patients, support our workforce, and strengthen the communities we serve." Kennedy, the statement said, emphasized the importance of improving nutrition within healthcare settings nationwide, noting that quality food is foundational to quality care. Federal leaders also pointed to ARH as an example of how hospitals can lead this shift by aligning nutrition, clinical care, and community partnerships. CMS issued a national Quality and Safety Special Alert during the event encouraging hospitals to align nutrition services with the forthcoming 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and strengthen food service practices that support patient recovery and long-term health outcomes. The guidance reinforces existing Medicare Conditions of Participation requiring hospitals to meet individual patient nutrition needs, maintain dietitian oversight, keep therapeutic diet manuals current, and integrate nutrition into quality and performance improvement programs. During a national press conference following the roundtable, the statement said, CMS leadership highlighted ARH's workforce and patient nutrition strategies, noting that the system served nearly 1.9 million meals across its facilities last fiscal year - demonstrating the powerful role hospitals can play in improving health through food. The event also spotlighted farm-to-hospital partnerships as a key strategy for improving food quality while supporting local agriculture. This approach is already underway in Kentucky through ARH's partnerships with organizations, including the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association to bring more locally sourced food into hospital kitchens, the statement said.
Hazard ARH opens new birthing suites to expand maternity care. * Special to the Hazard Herald * Mar 25, 2026 * Comments Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center has completed the addition of six new state-of-the-art birthing suites, expanding maternity services and enhancing the birthing experience for mothers and families across the region, according to a statement from ARH. According to the statement, the new suites allow mothers to labor, deliver, recover and receive postpartum care in the same private room whenever clinically appropriate, reducing the need for multiple room transfers and supporting a more comfortable, family-centered experience. Previously, Hazard ARH operated with two labor and delivery rooms, but the expanded unit increases capacity while offering larger, more modern suites designed for comfort, safety and continuity of care, according to the statement. The suites include private, spacious bathrooms and showers, allowing mothers to labor or shower in their own room, as well as wireless fetal monitoring for eligible patients, enabling mobility while remaining safely monitored, according to the statement. According to the statement, the rooms also feature bedside charting capabilities, allowing nurses to spend more time with patients, along with rooming-in care so infants can remain with parents for all routine care. In-room refrigerators have also been added for convenience. Hazard ARH averages approximately 350 births per year, and the new suites are designed to support both excellent patient outcomes and a positive birth experience, according to the statement. The renovation of the OB suites is part of a broader investment in women's and children's services at Hazard ARH, according to the statement. Renovation of the postpartum unit is expected to begin later this month, followed by future updates to the nursery, operating rooms and pediatric areas. Hazard ARH has maintained a Level II NICU since opening in 1986, with plans for a complete nursery renovation in a future phase, according to the statement. "These new suites reflect our commitment to caring for mothers and babies close to home," said Brian Springate, CEO for Hazard ARH. "They allow us to combine modern technology, compassionate care, and a more comfortable environment for families during one of life's most important moments."
Alice Lloyd College and Appalachian Regional Healthcare launch Allied Health Club Speaker Series. Feb 17, 2026 Alice Lloyd College is excited to announce an Allied Health Club Speaker Series during the Spring semester. In partnership with Appalachian Regional Healthcare, the series will bring healthcare leaders and practitioners from across the region to campus to engage with students interested in medical and allied health careers. This initiative is part of ARH's broader commitment to partner with Alice Lloyd College in developing the next generation of physicians and healthcare professionals who will return to serve the mountains. The Spring 2026 speaker lineup includes: * February 10 - Jamie Easterling, Chief Executive Officer, Whitesburg ARH * February 24 - Stacy Ritchie, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Hazard ARH * March 3 - Ashley Thompson, DO, Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician, Hazard ARH * March 10 - L. Bart Francis, MD, Residency Program Director, Deputy Coroner, EMS Medical Director, and Clinical Faculty for University of Pikeville * March 31 - Anthony Yonts, DO, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine * April 7 - Tammy Allen, Director of Graduate Medical Education, and Melody Howard, Institutional Coordinator and Programs Administrator * April 14 - McKenzie Nickles, DO, Incoming Chief Resident, and Clay Nickles, DO, Chief Resident Through this series, students will gain firsthand insight into rural medicine, graduate medical education, hospital leadership, and the realities of practicing healthcare in Appalachia. "At Alice Lloyd College, our mission is to educate mountain people for positions of leadership," said Dr. Allison Southard, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. "By connecting students directly with practicing physicians, residency leaders, and healthcare administrators, our partnership with ARH reinforces a long-term strategy to recruit, train, and retain physicians in the region." Alice Lloyd College continues to prepare students through a strong character-based education, emphasizing Christian values, and the value of work, equipping graduates to return home to serve and lead in their communities.