Nicole Davanzo

Director, Payment Integrity & Claims | Healthcare Leader with Grit, Humor & a Track Record of Results

Role
Director, Claims Administration and Payment Integrity at Health First
Location
Melbourne, FL, US
LinkedIn followers
500 followers

About Nicole Davanzo

I get things done. I build lasting relationships. And I bring grit, resilience, and humor to high-stakes healthcare operations.Senior healthcare operations leader with 20+ years of experience driving claims, compliance, and payment integrity excellence across Medicare Advantage, Commercial, and Marketplace/ACA.I currently lead a department of 70+ associates with a $4.7M budget, 1.8M processed claims annually ($621M in payments) for more than members. Under my leadership, we’ve achieved an 85% claims auto-adjudication rate with a 4-day turnaround time, elevated CMS Medicare Advantage performance from 3 Stars to 4.5 Stars, and positioned the plan in the top 10% nationwide.What drives me is more than metrics, it’s building strong relationships, navigating complex challenges with grit, and bringing a sense of humor to the work. Whether leading through system conversions like our upcoming Epic Tapestry migration, partnering with providers, or guiding teams through regulatory audits, I believe in balancing excellence with humanity.Passionate about advancing healthcare operations through strategy, innovation, and compliance while keeping people at the center.

Experience

  1. Director, Claims Administration and Payment Integrity

    Health First

    Apr 2021 — Present · Melbourne, FL, US

    Lead 70+ associates with a $4.7M departmental budget, overseeing over 1.8M claims processed annually ($621M in payments) for Commercial/Marketplace members and Medicare Advantage members.Achieve an 85% auto-adjudication rate with an average 4-day claims turnaround, ensuring timely and accurate provider payments while reducing administrative burden, meeting state and Federal timeliness requirements.Directed Oscar Health Assigned Services Agreement transition and seamless reintegration within 4 months, ensuring uninterrupted claims processing (20••••22).Spearheading enterprise core system conversion from Amisys to Epic Tapestry (Jan 2026 go-live).Elevated CMS Medicare Advantage rating to 4.5 Stars, contributing to improved quality outcomes and incentives.Recognized for compliance excellence during CMS audits and external reviews.

Education

  • University of Missouri-Saint Louis

    Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

    1999 — 2001

  • University of Missouri-Columbia

    Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Natural Resources: Parks, Recreation and Tourism

    1987 — 1991

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Nicole Davanzo — Director, Claims Administration and Payment Integrity at Health First in Melbourne, FL, US | Unifers