TUCKER, Ga. (MARCH 23 2020)—Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), a non-profit organization providing over $10 million annually in durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies to those with disabilities, announced the addition of Wayne van Halem to its board of directors, effective February 2020. Van Halem is president of The van Halem Group, a division of VGM Group, Inc., and a leading national consulting firm that counsels clients on applicable laws and regulations related to the nation’s preeminent health care entitlement programs.

“Wayne’s extensive experience in regulatory issues and compliance, specifically related to the durable medical equipment industry, will be a strong complement to our current board and to FODAC as a whole,” said Chris Brand, president and CEO of FODAC. "We will greatly benefit from his guidance and strategic direction as we work to meet the needs of those with disabilities.”

Van Halem founded The van Halem Group in 2006. The Atlanta-based consultancy merged with VGM Group in 2014 and he currently serves as its president as they help providers navigate complex regulatory issues related to audits, appeals, enrollment, and compliance. As a Medicare contractor for ten years, he spent a majority of that time as a fraud investigator and national appeals director. Van Halem is also a published author and well-known lecturer. He is an Accredited Healthcare Fraud Investigator through the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA); a Certified Fraud Examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE); and an active member of the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA). He has served on the faculty for each of these national organizations. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), he also sits on the American Association for Homecare’s Regulatory Council; Medtrade’s Educational Advisory Board; Medicare DME Jurisdiction D Advisory Council; MAC Jurisdiction 6 Home Health and Hospice Outreach and Education Advisory Group; and on the Editorial Advisory Board for HME Business Magazine. He has also served as a legal expert in various criminal and civil proceedings. 

“I am honored to leverage my experience in the durable medical equipment industry for a legacy organization like FODAC, whose mission, to help ensure access to medical equipment for those who may not have access otherwise, is one that aligns with my values, both professionally and personally,” said van Halem. “I hope that I can help FODAC connect more of its clients to the equipment and support they need to fully engage in life.”

Visit fodac.org for more information.