BeneLynk hires FMS veteran Kelsey Kostohryz for Veterans Choose launch

BeneLynk named Kelsey Kostohryz vice president of FMS operations as it launches Veterans Choose, a new financial management services offering for Veteran-Directed Care. The move comes as federal policy pushes VA medical centers to offer the program nationwide by September 2027.

Why it matters: - Veterans Choose is being positioned for a broader rollout of Veteran-Directed Care as the Elizabeth Dole Act requires all VA medical centers to offer the program by September 2027. - The offering is aimed at Aging and Disability Network Agencies and partner VA facilities that need to stand up and expand these programs. - BeneLynk is pairing software with human advocacy to simplify day-to-day FMS work for veterans who direct their own care.

What happened: - BeneLynk said Kelsey Kostohryz has joined the company to lead FMS operations for Veterans Choose. - Kostohryz is now vice president of FMS operations. - BeneLynk announced the hire on Sept. 22, 2026, in Sunrise, Florida. - Kostohryz most recently served as FMS national director at Mains’l Services. - Before that, Kostohryz held several roles at Lifeworks Services focused on FMS.

The details: - BeneLynk is building new technology for Veterans Choose to simplify FMS administration for Veteran-Directed Care. - Veterans Choose is described as a new kind of FMS built on innovative technology and supported by more than 10 years of BeneLynk national advocacy experience. - Sean Libby, BeneLynk’s CEO, said he was impressed by Kostohryz’s knowledge and commitment to self-direction after meeting her at the National Self Direction Conference. - BeneLynk said its long history with veterans includes both client work and hiring veterans and military-affiliated employees. - The company said its relationships with VA medical centers across the country will help expand Veteran-Directed Care nationally. - BeneLynk describes itself as a national provider of social care solutions for Medicare Advantage plans and other clients. - BeneLynk says it helps people identify social care challenges, access benefits and remove barriers to healthier lives. - Veterans Choose is built for the Veteran-Directed Care space and focuses on simple systems supported by human advocacy to help veterans manage care at home. - Kostohryz said BeneLynk’s work with VA facilities, its focus on better lives, and its mix of intuitive technology and professional human advocacy drove her decision to join.

Between the lines: - BeneLynk is betting that experience in self-direction and FMS operations will matter as VA facilities face pressure to launch or expand Veteran-Directed Care. - The company is also signaling that its selling point is not just software, but service execution and advocacy alongside the technology. - The hire suggests BeneLynk wants Veterans Choose to compete on operational credibility as well as product design.

What's next: - BeneLynk will use Kostohryz to help scale Veterans Choose and support ADNA and VA partners as demand grows. - The nationwide VA deadline in September 2027 creates a clear timeline for program adoption and implementation. - BeneLynk is likely to lean on its VA relationships and veteran-focused hiring record as it pushes the offering into more markets.

The bottom line: - BeneLynk is strengthening Veterans Choose with an experienced FMS operator just as federal policy is set to expand Veteran-Directed Care across VA medical centers nationwide.