2025 Washington State of Reform Health Policy Conference

The Networking Breakfast will take place before the start of the conference to allow attendees to grab light refreshments and connect with their fellow colleagues before we kick things off for the day.

We’re beginning the day by hearing from Washington State’s newly elected Insurance Commissioner, Sen. Patty Kuderer. Join us to hear Sen. Kuderer discuss the current health insurance landscape in Washington and her goals for expanding and improving coverage for all Washingtonians in her new role. 

Sen. Patty Kuderer: Insurance Commissioner-Elect, State of Washington

Join this panel of experts as they discuss the ins and outs of Washington’s adolescent behavioral health system. Learn about the investments the state has made to increase capacity, the challenges associated with treating youth substance use disorder, the importance of school-based services, and more. 

Stephan Blanford, EdD: Executive Director, Children’s Alliance

Rep. Lisa Callan: Member, House Human Services, Youth & Early Learning Committee, Washington State House of Representatives

Jamie Hanna, MD: National Medical Director, Children’s Behavioral Health, Magellan

Jennifer Helseth: Public Health System Analyst, Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families

Moderator: Liz Arjun, MPH, MSW: Principal, Health Management Associates

In 2022, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner released a report revealing that healthcare costs in Washington’s commercial insurance market increased by 13%, nearly double the rate of inflation between 2016-2019. This panel will discuss the findings of such reports and the work currently being pursued to curb costs. Panelists will also discuss potential future legislation and policy that would help reduce the healthcare cost curve and increase affordability for patients. 

Emily Brice: Co-Executive Director, Advocacy, Northwest Health Law Advocates

Leah Hole-Marshall, JD: General Counsel & Chief Strategist, Washington Health Benefit Exchange

Mark Stensager: Retired Healthcare Executive; Member of the Washington Long Term Services Commission

Moderator: Jane Beyer: Senior Health Policy Advisor, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

The growing problems associated with climate change are having increasingly detrimental impacts on Washingtonians’ health. Join this group of expert panelists as they discuss what infrastructure is needed today and in the future to mitigate the damage of climate change on our health.  Speakers will talk through the impacts of factors like smoke exposure and intense heat, as well as the most promising strategies for mitigating them. 

Rad Cunningham, MPH, MPA: Senior Epidemiologist, Washington State Department of Health

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon: Majority Leader, Washington State House of Representatives

Brad Kramer, PhD, MPA: Program Manager, Climate & Health Equity Initiative, Public Health – Seattle & King County

Edwin Lindo, JD: Associate Teaching Professor, University of Washington – School of Medicine

Moderator: Margaret Towle, PhD: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Yakima River Partners LLC

Rural communities continue to struggle with attaining access to the healthcare system. Join this panel of experts as they discuss how to build a strong provider network in remote communities and ensure patients have access to the right kinds of services when they need it. 

Jennifer Brackeen, MHA, FACHE: Director of Innovation, Summit Pacific Medical Center

Jennifer Kreitler, ALMI, HIA, MHP: Manager, Provider Network Oversight Program, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Moderator: Jenny Arnold, PharmD, BCPS: Chief Executive Officer, Washington State Pharmacy Association

Two years into the implementation of the 988 crisis line, advocates and policymakers will discuss how things are going. Hear from experts about program uptake and learn about the early successes and challenges facing the program.  

Sen. Manka Dhingra: Deputy Majority Leader, Washington State Senate

Jeffrey L. Hite, PsyD: Account Executive, National Crisis Center of Excellence, Carelon Behavioral Health

Teesha Kirschbaum: Director, Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery, Washington State Health Care Authority

Michelle McDaniel: Chief Executive Officer, Crisis Connections

Michele Roberts: Assistant Secretary, Prevention & Community Health, Washington State Department of Health

Moderator: Betsy Jones: Chief Strategy Officer, Community Health Plan of Washington

Washington created the Health Care Cost Transparency Board with the goal of tracking the state’s healthcare expenditures and using their findings to identify cost reduction strategies. In this session, panelists will discuss the work of the board so far, its impact on consumers, and how it might be maximally effective heading into the future. 

Eileen Cody, RN, BSN, CRRN: Health Care Stakeholders Committee Chair, Washington State Health Care Authority

Joseph Dieleman: Associate Professor, Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation, University of Washington

Mich’l Needham: Chief Policy Officer, Washington State Health Care Authority

Moderator: Liz Arjun, MPH, MSW: Principal, Health Management Associates

In this panel, experts will discuss Washington’s progress so far in increasing health equity in its healthcare system.  Speakers will discuss the progress made in the last few years, recommendations for ensuring equity work is incorporated into the state budget, and the key measures they will support in the 2025 legislative session and beyond.  

Vanetta Abdellatif: President & Chief Executive Officer, Arcora Foundation

Romilla Batra, MD: Chief Medical Officer, Premera

Patricia Egwuatu, DO: Associate Program Director, Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity, Kaiser Permanente

Lee Che P. Leong: Senior Policy Advocate, Northwest Health Law Advocates

Moderator: Emily Nudelman, DNP, RN: Director, Implementation & Outreach, Foundation for Health Care Quality

Over the last couple biennium, Washington has made significant investments in growing and sustaining the healthcare workforce. Join this panel as they discuss how those investments are working and how workforce support efforts should be funded moving forward. Panelists will dive into what work still needs to be done and upcoming legislation that would help alleviate the workforce shortage. 

Dee Bender, DNAP, CRNA, MNNA, APRN: Vice President, Washington Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

Justin Gill, DNP, APRN, RN: President, Washington State Nurses Association

KaraLynn LaValley, PhD, RN: Associate Dean of Nursing, Green River College

Chad Sherman: Planning & Performance Director, Wellpoint Washington

Moderator: Maddie Foutch: Director of Public Affairs, SEIU 775

Washington health leaders are continually working to make health data exchange robust and secure. This panel will discuss how to most effectively utilize and improve electronic health records, the impact of new reporting requirements, and health information exchange’s role in the chronic care environment.   

Rob Arnold: Executive Director & Co-Founder, Health Commons Project

Brendan Keeler: Interoperability & Data Liquidity Practice Lead, HTD Health

Carol Robinson: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Midato Health; Cedarbridge Group

Ginny Weir, MPH: Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for Health Care Quality

Moderator: Tresa Thomas-Massiongale: Principal, Health Management Associates

Washington continues to see worsening impacts of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Join this panel as they outline the severity of the opioid and fentanyl crisis in the state and discuss the work done so far to address it. Hear about how different regions, including rural areas and tribal communities, are getting creative in addressing the challenges. 

Dr. Bryce Parent: Chief Medical Officer, Didgwalic Wellness Center

David Sapienza: Lead Physician, Pathways, Public Health Seattle & King County — Community Health Services Division

Steve Woolworth: Chief Executive Officer, Evergreen Treatment Services

Moderator: Megan Beers: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates

Ensuring aging Washingtonians have access to necessary support services is a critical priority, and work remains to bridge the gap between long-term care and healthcare. Join this panel as experts discuss the status of the WA Cares program and the best paths forward for improving it. Experts will discuss how to fortify long-term services and supports (LTSS) for the aging population and ensure the Medicaid system doesn’t become overburdened due to a lack of LTSS infrastructure.  

Madeline Grant: Chief Administrative Officer, Harborview Medical Center, UW Medicine

Cathleen MacCaul: Advocacy Director, AARP Washington State

Bea Rector: Assistant Secretary, Aging & Long-Term Support Administration, Washington State Department of Social & Health Services

Moderator: Amina Suchoski: Principal, Health Management Associates

CMS recently renewed Washington’s Medicaid 1115 waiver for another five years, allowing the state to continue pursuing improvements to Apple Health. Join this panel for a discussion about the key provisions of the new waiver including care for the incarcerated population and new strategies for addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs). 

Siobhan Brown: Program Manager III, Health Systems Innovation, Community Health Plan of Washington

John Kim: Chief Executive Officer, HealthierHere

Emma Oppenheim: Medicaid Transformation Project Director, Washington State Health Care Authority

Joe Whitley: Senior Healthcare Consultant, Milliman

Moderator: Dara Smith: Managing Principal, Health Management Associates

Creating an equitable state budget, even in times of economic growth, can be challenging. But when facing a bleak revenue forecast, state budget writers must work that much harder to consider equity when considering cuts to state–funded programs. Join this panel of experts as they discuss ideas and opportunities to navigate financial constraints while still ensuring the state allocates sufficient funding to improving health equity.  

Molly Firth, MPH: Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Washington Department of Health Systems & Population Health

Sen. June Robinson: Chair, Senate Ways & Means Committee; Member, Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee; Washington State Senate

Emily Vyhnanek: Associate Director of Campaigns, Washington State Budget & Policy Center

Moderator: Sam Hatzenbeler: Senior Policy Associate, Economic Opportunity Institute

To sufficiently improve long-term health outcomes and lower costs, Washington must improve its primary care system. Join this panel as they talk about the barriers to accessing primary care for different consumer populations. Hear from providers about where they see opportunities for improvement and join the discussion on what initiatives and ideas are underway already. 

Jim Freeburg: Executive Director, Patient Coalition of Washington

Kelly Huffman: Health Care Integration Solutions Manager, Unite Us

Mark Mantei: Chief Executive Officer, Vancouver Clinic

Moderator: Bill Barcellona: Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, America’s Physician Groups

Join this group of expert panelists as they discuss the early days of the implementation of the state’s certified community behavioral health model. Hear about how the model is working and join the conversation on how Washington can continue to leverage it to improve behavioral healthcare over the next decade. 

Katrina Egner: President & Chief Executive Officer, Sound Behavioral Health; Member, FourFront Contributor

Tom Sebastian: Chief Executive Officer, Compass Health; Member, Fourfront Contributor

Wendy Sisk: Chief Executive Officer, Peninsula Behavioral Health

Moderator: Joan Miller, JD: Chief Executive Officer, Washington Council for Behavioral Health

As Washington continues to deal with a healthcare workforce shortage, advocates are working to reduce barriers for overlooked providers. Join this panel as they discuss how often-overlooked providers, including family caregivers and community health workers, are currently supporting the system. Hear about what policy is needed to reduce barriers for these critical provider groups and ensure their services receive coverage.  

Edgar Lopez-Baez: Community Health Worker Specialist, Foundation for Healthy Generations

Vicki Lowe: Executive Director, American Indian Health Commission

Tashina Nunez: Birth Justice Advocate & Co-Founder, Ttáwaxt Birth Justice Center

Jackie Vaughn: Executive Director, Surge Reproductive Justice

Moderator: Shelby Scovel: Senior Director of Quality Strategy & Performance, WellSense Health Plan

Join this panel for a look back on the past couple decades of Washington’s work to improve healthcare. With new state leadership, policymakers should consider where we’ve been before deciding on a path forward. Experts will discuss how Washington expanded Medicaid access, built the Health Benefit Exchange and maintained its role as a national leader in healthcare reform.  Join the discussion on how Washington can build on these victories and what the new slate of leaders can do to continue to move in the direction of progress.  

Bob Crittenden, MD, MPH: Former Senior Health Policy Advisory for Governors Gardner & Inslee

MaryAnne Lindeblad, BSN, MPH: Former Medicaid Director, Washington State Healthcare Authority

Moderator: Ingrid Ulrey: Chief Executive Officer, Washington Health Benefit Exchange

State policymakers have been working to reform the prior authorization process so it doesn’t interfere with patient care. Join these experts for a discussion about recent changes to prior authorization and utilization review, as well as how the health sector can continue to improve policy around these processes going forward. 

Carla Ainsworth, MD, MPH: President, Washington Academy of Family Physicians

Audrey Miller Garcia: Washington Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society Action Network

Heidi Kriz, MPH, RD: Director, Medical Policy & Medical Management, PA Transformation Lead, Regence

Jennifer Ziegler: Contract Lobbyist, Association of Washington Health Plans

Moderator: Ethan Norris: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates

Washington has made significant strides in recent years to improve access to the state’s Medicaid program for individuals facing barriers. This panel will discuss the work that’s been done and offer potential paths forward for continuing to reform the Medicaid program so every Washingtonian who needs services from the healthcare safety net can access them. 

Jay Fathi, MD: President & Chief Executive Officer, Molina Healthcare of Washington

Jennifer Hanscom: Chief Executive Officer, Washington State Medical Association

Alison Poulsen: President, Better Health Together

Caitlyn Safford: Senior Director, Government Affairs, Washington State Hospital Association

Moderator: Amina Suchoski: Principal, Health Management Associates

We’re closing the day with a diverse panel of Washington health policy leadership for a conversation about the state’s overall health policy landscape. Hear these influential leaders’ perspectives on many of the issues on today’s agenda and what the key solutions might be for some of Washington’s most pressing healthcare-related challenges.

Sen. Annette Cleveland: Chair, Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee, Washington State Senate

Sen. Ron Muzzall: Republican Deputy Caucus Chair, Washington State Senate

Angela Ramirez: Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Umair Shah, MD, MPH: Secretary of Health, Washington State Department of Health

Moderator: Jane Beyer: Senior Health Policy Advisor, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner