With more than 25 years in healthcare, Iva has worked in a variety of areas including, research, strategy and planning, service line management, employer relations, legislative affairs, and hospital affiliate relationships.
Since joining Schumacher Group 11 years ago, she has been active in governmental affairs in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. She was an integral member of the formation group for Medicine Louisiana, and Texas Emergency Medicine Physician Association which advocates for enhancing the practice environment for medical professionals in the state. In 2015, a similar association was developed in Florida, Iva serves as the SG representative in this organization as well. Iva has followed the workings of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, providing testimony at the Spring 2010 Conference regarding draft model legislation on balance billing disclosure. She served as Chair of EDPMA’s Managed Care Task Force for 6 years. Iva has developed and maintained relationships with legislators and regulators in various states to promote SG initiatives and protect the interest of the organization. In 2010, Iva received a service award from EDPMA in acknowledgment for her outstanding contributions to the organization as task force chair and her leadership in Louisiana to defeat legislation that would ban balance billing. Since 2013, she has served on the EDPMA Conference Planning Committee and in 2015 assumed the chair of the committee. Iva has also served on governmental committees in the state of Louisiana. In 2015, Iva was appointed by Tim Seay, EDPMA Chair to serve on the ACEP/EDPMA Joint Taskforce addressing Out-of-Network and Balance Billing Issues.
As Chief of Staff for Dr. William Schumacher, she has researched and led various initiatives for Schumacher Group. Iva was instrumental in Schumacher Group’s globalization efforts, from selection of vendors, to contract negotiations and operationalizing these efforts by leading a team of internal staff and vendors to offshore aspects of the billing operations from 2006 through 2009. She worked with executive leadership in developing and communicating the strategic plan for Schumacher Group. She heads research efforts on industry trends, regulatory and legislative activity both at state and national levels. By providing research on industry trends and offering an environmental assessment, executive leadership was able to establish yearly initiatives and goals. Her duties also included presenting the goals and initiatives of the organization to new hires. Iva has served as internal liaison to divisions within SG, directing and coordinating activities to appropriate parties for resolution of issues or concerns. She has also served in consultant management with groups such as Studer Group, iTriage, The Picard Group and McDaniel and Associates. For the last two years, she was on special assignment to SG WellnessWorks. As part of the leadership team she worked with operations, and business development to further the delivery of services to client hospitals.
Iva is a graduate of both Leadership Lafayette and Leadership Louisiana. She has served on various boards in her community and state including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Oil Center Renaissance Association, Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners and the Kiwanis of Acadiana. Iva was lead on a committee which established a secondary school curriculum in Athletic Training and is still called upon today to assist in the promotion of the profession. She has served as a member of the Athletic Trainers Advisory Committee to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee and Director of Continuing Education of the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association.