Dave Ulsh is Sellers Dorsey’s first employee and recently celebrated his 19 year anniversary with the firm! He is one of our talented Senior Strategic Advisors and is a Medicaid and policy expert who has assisted numerous states in developing and implementing provider payment related programs.
What brought you to Sellers Dorsey?
I worked with Marty Sellers, Sellers Dorsey’s Co-Founder and CEO, at S.R. Wojdak and Associates for 10 years in the 90’s. We had worked on various revenue maximization projects on behalf of various Pennsylvania hospitals, nursing facilities, and the Commonwealth. We got the brilliant idea to do a nursing facility project in New Jersey—Marty knew the politics and the players, and I knew the details on how to do the work. We were very successful there, and Marty and David Feinberg, who also worked with us at Wojdak, began to explore similar opportunities in other states. We were very successful in many states including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Virginia to name a few. We began to focus on provider taxes and were able to implement taxes in Pennsylvania for ICF/ID, nursing facilities, and Philadelphia County hospitals. Also, Mark Smith (Managing Director) and Brian McGuckin (Vice President of Medicaid Finance) brought additional excellent talent to the small group early on. This worked evolved into what is Sellers Dorsey today. Marty’s plan was to grow the company and he has certainly done that!
What’s your area of expertise?
I know a little too much about Medicaid financing.
What have you worked on recently?
I maintain the MCO assessment in Pennsylvania. Lately I’ve been working on projects in New Jersey and Virginia.
What do you like about working at Sellers Dorsey?
I really enjoy finding creative ways to generate funds for providers as well as state governments. More importantly, I really enjoy working with the extremely talented people in the Pennsylvania practice, and the same goes for the New Jersey and Virginia teams. All of these projects require an array of skill sets and talents to be successful. It takes a team, and the teams and individuals I’ve worked with here have more than fit the bill.
How has your work changed over time?
CMS is always changing the rules on the fly, so the approaches and solutions we take also have to be flexible and creative. The fun never ends!
What is one important thing you have learned during your time at Sellers Dorsey?
The beauty of converting what sometimes appears to be a crazy idea into a real and tangible project with successful outcomes.
