Andrea Hritz

Overview

Andrea Hritz concentrates her nursing practice in the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) and workers’ compensation areas. As one of the first Medicare set-aside (MSA) nurses in the industry, Andrea helped set the standard for life care planning in the workers’ compensation arena.

As a Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP) and Certified Medicare Secondary Payer (CMSP), Andrea critically analyzes medical records, pharmacy records, and payment histories to draft life care plans. She also adheres to the regulations set forth in the Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement (WCMSA) Reference Guide, using these guidelines to model her life care plans.

Relying on knowledge attained as a former critical care unit nurse and former nurse case manager of an HMO, she projects the need for future medical treatment and services for each Claimant. Andrea personalizes each life care plan she drafts for the Claimant’s specific injury, from the straightforward to the catastrophic, and customizes the plan to reflect the treating provider’s vision on future treatment needs.

An allocator for future medical care, Andrea strives for unbiased, reasonable projections that protect the interest of Medicare to avoid cost-shifting post-settlement. Andrea commits herself to developing life care plans written objectively, regardless of the referral source. She works closely with the MSA team of attorneys to strategically design life care plans that satisfy the Centers for Medicare Services’ (CMS) standards and fulfill the client’s desire to settle their case. This MSA team knows Andrea brings a unique perspective and set of abilities to her work, resulting in proven and effective results in life care planning that yield CMS approvals time and time again.

Prior to joining the firm, Andrea served as a floor nurse before being promoted to the intensive care unit at a level one trauma center in Denver, Colorado. She went on to become the nurse case manager of an HMO and over 20,000 CHIP recipients. In 2002, she joined her first law firm as a legal nurse consultant where she experienced cutting edge MSA development and worked closely with CMS to create the WCMSA industry of today. In 2014, she served as a medical cost projectionist and nursing quality control coordinator for the same firm. In 2018, Andrea joined NBKL as a legal nurse consultant once again.

Andrea’s advocacy for effective, objective medical care extends beyond her work at the firm. Outside of her career, Andrea is the mother of three daugthers, each one being on an individual education plan (IEP) and the youngest having Down syndrome (DS). Not only is she a parent advocate, Andrea is the Private Duty Nurse (PDN) and Community Connector for her DS child. In the process of obtaining the hard won IEPs for each of her children, Andrea became aware of the injustice in the education system when it comes to children with special needs. She now passionately asserts that every child has the right to a quality education regardless of their social, emotional, or physical disabilities.

In her free time, Andrea volunteers as an advocate for other parents of special needs children, imparting her nursing knowledge on their behalf. She is also an active volunteer in her children’s school, particularly in the music theater department. On Monday nights, she is a dynamic contributor and supporter of a teen drug and alcohol recovery program in the Denver-Metro area.