Erica Smithson Email & Phone Number

Mechanicsburg, Pa

GuideWell Source is the parent company of Novitas Solutions, Inc. and First Coast Service Options, Inc.*Note: from July 2017 to September 2023, the position was classified as Legal Assistant. • Provide legal and administrative support to company’s Deputy General Counsel:o Field inquiries from multiple firms and agencies, such as the Office of General Counsel, Department of Justice, and Office of Inspector General, relating to the work of to the company’s administrative contracts… Show more GuideWell Source is the parent company of Novitas Solutions, Inc. and First Coast Service Options, Inc.*Note: from July 2017 to September 2023, the position was classified as Legal Assistant. • Provide legal and administrative support to company’s Deputy General Counsel:o Field inquiries from multiple firms and agencies, such as the Office of General Counsel, Department of Justice, and Office of Inspector General, relating to the work of to the company’s administrative contracts in Medicare Jurisdictions H, L and No Work collaboratively with operational departments to provide Medicare claims data, appeals statuses, provider enrollment information and local coverage summaries in response to inquiries, subpoenas and requests for production of documentso Communicate with internal and external customers by drafting correspondence, preparing exhibits and attending telephone and video conferenceso Coordinate travel arrangements and prepare expense reports• Serve as lead for Legal Maturity Model Project within Legal Affairs Department: project is designed to review and create departmental procedures with the goal of aligning company’s main offices in Mechanicsburg, PA and Jacksonville, FL• Provide occasional administrative support for Compliance and Human Resources departments by scheduling meetings, providing feedback on projects, and drafting correspondence• Assisted with creation of job skills inventory matrix as member of a Professional Growth and Skills Development inter-departmental work group within the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer organization Show less

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Area

• Managed a high-volume workload in a fast-paced environment by serving as the case manager for more than 600 initial level and pre-hearing Social Security Disability and Social Security Income claims • Interfaced daily with clients, the Social Security Administration and attorneys by phone, email and letter to help process Social Security claims• Prepared files for hearing by requesting medical records and organizing evidence by dates of service and medical facility

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Area

• Served as primary assistant on personal injury matters, a new practice area in the firm, by organizing and updating personal injury attorneys’ calendars and scheduling appointments with clients• Acted as liaison between personal injury clients and their insurance companies by relaying treatment status updates through phone calls, emails and letters• Accessed Workers’ Compensation Automation and Integration System (WCAIS) to retrieve hearing dates, exhibits, subpoenas and judges’… Show more • Served as primary assistant on personal injury matters, a new practice area in the firm, by organizing and updating personal injury attorneys’ calendars and scheduling appointments with clients• Acted as liaison between personal injury clients and their insurance companies by relaying treatment status updates through phone calls, emails and letters• Accessed Workers’ Compensation Automation and Integration System (WCAIS) to retrieve hearing dates, exhibits, subpoenas and judges’ decisions and note them in the firm’s calendar and clients’ electronic folders using Prevail software• Worked with firm’s Social Security Disability paralegals to coordinate the acquisition of clients’ medical records• Assisted in preparation for Social Security hearings by uploading evidence to the Social Security Administration’s Electronic Records Express (ERE) online system Show less

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Area

• Completed tasks in all aspects of the estate administration process under the supervision of six estate attorneys, including opening the estate with the Register of Wills, filing notices, contacting creditors, settling claims, assisting in the sale of assets, preparing inheritance tax returns and filing status reports• Coordinated estate probate appointments for attorneys and clients in counties throughout Pennsylvania, including asset and “litigation purposes only” estates• Drafted… Show more • Completed tasks in all aspects of the estate administration process under the supervision of six estate attorneys, including opening the estate with the Register of Wills, filing notices, contacting creditors, settling claims, assisting in the sale of assets, preparing inheritance tax returns and filing status reports• Coordinated estate probate appointments for attorneys and clients in counties throughout Pennsylvania, including asset and “litigation purposes only” estates• Drafted probate paperwork, including petitions for probate, renunciations, witness oaths and estate information sheets• Performed various clerical duties such as answering the phone, writing letters and scheduling appointments Show less

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Area

New Cumberland, Pa

• Assisted in preparing various legal documents in the areas of estate planning and estate administration, such as wills, powers of attorney, living wills, petitions for probate, and inheritance tax returns under the supervision of the firm’s two attorneys• Performed various clerical duties such as answering the phone, writing letters and scheduling appointments

Harrisburg, Pa

• Evaluated reciprocal action files for professionals (primarily in the medical and nursing fields) licensed in Pennsylvania and disciplined in Pennsylvania and/or other states• Drafted request for certified records letters, order to show cause/consent agreement sets and/or prosecution evaluation forms for reciprocal action files, depending on what discipline had been imposed on licensee• Occasionally had the opportunity to observe paralegal meetings, charging unit meetings with… Show more • Evaluated reciprocal action files for professionals (primarily in the medical and nursing fields) licensed in Pennsylvania and disciplined in Pennsylvania and/or other states• Drafted request for certified records letters, order to show cause/consent agreement sets and/or prosecution evaluation forms for reciprocal action files, depending on what discipline had been imposed on licensee• Occasionally had the opportunity to observe paralegal meetings, charging unit meetings with prosecutors, citation hearings and Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation field investigations Show less

Harrisburg, Pa

• Composed minutes for monthly departmental and advisory committee meetings within the Business Studies Department• Assisted in scheduling appointments for students with their academic advisers • Performed various clerical duties such as answering the phone, compiling mailings, processing printing orders for department faculty members, and miscellaneous typing and research assignments under the supervision of the Business Studies Department chairperson

Dillsburg, Pa

• Wrote articles for publication on town council meetings, human interest and profile stories, and community events per weekly edition of the newspaper• Researched subject matter in depth to add to history and personalization to article’s story line• Conducted interviews for articles over the phone and in person

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

• Copy edited and posted pertinent and timely news items to the website such as press releases and obituaries• Created original content for posting on the website’s entertainment and travel sections• Specialized in writing feature articles that include movie reviews and travel segments with accompanying original photography

Lycoming College, Williamsport, Pa

• Edited all articles submitted by students for the entertainment section for proper word usage, grammar, and Associated Press style• Posted entertainment articles to newspaper’s website and announce postings via social media (Twitter, Facebook)• Wrote original articles and reviews for each (bi-weekly) issue of the entertainment section • Prepared the page layout for each issue using Quark Xpress Software

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Area

• Wrote press releases about college events for posting on the school’s website using MS Word• Compiled information and composed press releases about student activities for publication in students’ local newspapers using Datatel and Razors Edge software and MS Excel spreadsheets• Performed various clerical duties such as mailings and answering the phone

Certificate, Paralegal Studies

Ba, Media Writing And Culture (Communications)