Asbel Montes
Vice President, Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc
Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Follow Asbel on Twitter at @asbelmontes
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Can you please tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in San Bernardino, CA and lived there until I was five. My dad was in the Air Force. When I was five, he felt the call to become a pastor in North Carolina and was discharged from the Air Force.

I am married and have one daughter who is fifteen years old.

I have played the piano since I was eight years old and used to be the music minister for my dad and my brother-in-law, until my career became too demanding to do both.

I am an avid read of non-fiction and fiction. I enjoy a great political or legal thriller.

How did you come to work in the industry? How long have you been involved?

I started in the ambulance industry at the age of 21. I answered an ad in the newspaper for an account manager position for an ambulance billing company in North Carolina. I have been in the revenue cycle space for almost 19 years.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy the people I work with at Acadian. Acadian Ambulance Service has a culture where the employees truly care about the success of the company. This culture is prevalent throughout the organization from senior leadership to front-line staff.

What is your biggest professional challenge?

My biggest challenge is the federal and state regulations that continue to negatively impact our industry from Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies. This has a downstream effect on increasing our cost per claim due to the excessive administrative burden, as well as reducing our revenue per transport.

What is your typical day like?

My day starts at 4:45 am. I like to meditate and read for about an hour before getting to the office by 7:00 am. My day is packed with meetings and typically culminates with me leaving the office around 6:00 pm.

I travel extensively between Austin, Baton Rouge, and Washington, DC.

How has participation in AAA membership and advocacy helped your organization?

The American Ambulance Association has been beneficial in helping to create a united front in the ambulance industry for important initiatives on Capitol hill.