Q: Where did you grow up?
Scranton, PA – home of The Office
Q: Where did you go to college/graduate school?
King’s College; BS Neuroscience and MS Healthcare Administration
Q: What are your favorites?
Food: Veal Parm
Movie: Goodfellas
Musicians: I have an eclectic iTunes – anything from oldies, to rap and country.
Destination: Estes Park, CO
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
My wife, Julia, and I have a 2 year old son, Noah. We find most of our free time going to playgrounds, watching Paw Patrol, reading books, and keeping our Cocker Spaniel, Ripley, out of trouble. We both enjoy spending time in the kitchen and spending time outside.
Q: What kind of work does your company do in 340B and what makes it stand out?
Verity is a full service 340B TPA. There are 3 key factors that set us apart.
- Our people – as George Puckett our CEO says, “We do what we say, or we’ll die trying.” I truly believe we have the most knowledgeable and innovative team in the industry. Our team is comprised of pharmacists, 340B program managers, 340B coordinators, pharmacy technicians, buyers, and nurses! We are continually listening to our customers, making improvements, and developing solutions to maximize the value of 340B for our customers.
- Security – It’s hard to turn on the news without hearing about another data breach resulting in innocent victim’s sensitive information being available on the dark web. Here at Verity, we are fanatically focused on cyber security. Verity has attained HITRUST certification and is the only vendor to achieve a mature rating by KLAS/Censinet.
- Verity’s Strategic Ownership – In 2019, Verity found our forever home and is now part of the Evernorth Health Services family of companies. While Verity operates as a standalone organization with our original executive team intact, this means we have the benefit of additional resources afforded by a Fortune 50 company, if needed, to support us as we drive innovation for our customers. You can be confident that Verity is in it for the long haul!
Q: Why did you choose to work in the 340B space?
I’m not sure I really chose it, rather I fell into it. While working as a pharmacy inventory specialist during my master’s program, I learned quickly how frustrating it can be to have failed orders from a broken TPA. After graduation, I moved into the revenue cycle space and lead the health system’s workgroup for applying the TB/JG modifier. I eventually transitioned into leading the health system’s 340B program.
Q: What do you feel is your most significant contribution to the 340B world or to a 340B customer/client?
I have the pleasure of working with many health centers, hospitals, and IDNs in the 340B program here at Verity. Having insight from the various 340B stakeholders along with my operational background helps me provide our customers with innovative ways to advance their programs. I really enjoy a good strategic conversation and if you really want to get me excited, let’s talk about Central Distribution.
Q: What advice do you have for a young professional who has recently launched a career in the 340B space?
A few things, first off be a 340B advocate and get your CE’s story out there, utilize CV340B for help with getting the message of 340B in your community. Be a sponge and learn from as many people as you can, remember you can take what you like and leave the rest! Also, if you’re struggling with an issue, chances are your peers have too. Utilize your neighboring CEs, 340B forums, social media, and your TPA’s customer network for feedback.
For questions, Matt can be reached at mkrah@verity340b.com
