5 Things Maryland: Population health financing, Health equity, Care transitions

By

Eli Kirshbaum

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We are now less than a week out from the 2022 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference! We’re thrilled to be able to bring you 3 keynotes, 16 breakout sessions, and over 60 curated speakers who will talk through some of the most pressing issues facing Maryland’s health care system.

In this edition of “5 Things We’re Watching,” we highlight a handful of the upcoming conversations that we’re looking forward to hosting. We’d love to have you join us!

Emily Boerger
State of Reform

 

1. Keynotes: Alan Weil & Kate Sapra

Alan Weil, Editor-in-Chief at Health Affairs, will join us as our Morning Keynote speaker at the State of Reform conference. The conversation, which will be moderated by Maria Tildon, Vice President for State & Local Affairs at Johns Hopkins University & Johns Hopkins Medicine, will focus on health equity.

We’re also excited to announce that we recently confirmed Kate Sapra, Director of the Division of All-Payer Models at CMS, as our Lunch Keynote! She’ll join us for a conversation on CMMI, the future of all-payer models, and where innovation is headed next in this space.

 

2. COVID’s impact on the population health financing model

Whether it’s the unique Total Cost of Care Model or improving the long-term care continuum, Maryland health leaders are working toward new approaches to health care. This session will bring together four different perspectives for a discussion on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the population health financing model.

Joining us on this panel will be Katie Wunderlich, Executive Director of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, and Angelo Edge, CEO of Aetna Better Health of Maryland. Bob Atlas, President & CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association, and Joe DeMattos, President & CEO of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland, will also offer their insights on this important topic.

 

3. Moving from knowledge to action on health equity

Health equity conversations in Maryland are moving beyond just recognizing the existence of inequities and toward solutions that aim to make meaningful change. This panel will take up this issue and offer an update on the programs, initiatives, and actions that are showing promise in moving the needle on health equity.

Joining us on our “Moving from knowledge to action on health equity” panel will be Regina Figueroa, Chief Operating Officer at National Lutheran Communities and Services, Rachel Thornton, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President & Enterprise Chief Health Equity Officer at Nemours Children’s Health, and Jasmine Leonard, Health Equity Enterprise Manager at CareFirst.

 

4. What COVID has taught us about Maryland health care

Our understanding of the pandemic’s long-term impacts on society and our health care system continues to evolve. This multi-perspective panel will review lessons learned over the past two years, the lasting impacts of the COVID response, and the pathway ahead for the state and our communities.

Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk, Chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee, and Barbara Brookmyer, M.D., Health Officer at the Frederick County Health Department, will join this conversation. Nicole Stallings, Chief External Affairs Officer and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Policy at MHA, and Eric Bush, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Hospice of the Chesapeake, will also participate on this panel.

 

5. Managing care transitions across silos

From addressing high emergency department utilization to serving people transitioning out of homelessness or incarceration, health care leaders are faced with the challenge of maintaining a coordinated care system for Maryland’s most vulnerable communities. In this conversation, experts will discuss the innovative ways Maryland is supporting transitions across the health care sector.

Our “Managing care transitions across silos” panel will bring together Ted Delbridge, M.D., Executive Director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Traci Kodeck, CEO of HealthCare Access Maryland, and Aileen Tinney, President & CEO of Keswick.