2018 Inland Northwest State of Reform Health Policy Conference
September 13, 2018 | Inland Northwest
Detailed Agenda
8:15 - 8:30
Welcome and Introduction
This opening session will key off the day with comments framing the conference agenda, and the role State of Reform hopes to play in a new era of policy and politics.
DJ Wilson: Host, State of Reform
8:30 - 9:15
Morning Keynote Session: A Conversation with John R. Graham
John R. Graham was recently appointed the Regional Director, Region 10 for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to his appointment, he spent close to twenty years researching, analyzing, and testifying regarding the financial and economic implications of health policy. Mr. Graham will join DJ Wilson on stage to share the Trump administration’s vision for health care and health policy and discuss the its potential impact on Washington State.
John R. Graham: Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region X
9:30 - 10:15
Olympia Insiders Look Ahead to 2019
The 2019 legislative session may be one of the most important sessions for health care since the passage of the ACA. With mental health issues, a looming 2020 election, and potential retirements among senior legislators, this may be the session to get things done. This session will talk through the shape of the session and the dynamics in place.
Ingrid Gourley Mungia: Director of Government Relations, MultiCare Health System
Jenn Muhm: Director, Government Relations, Washington State Nurses Association
Anne Bryant: Senior Director, Government Relations, Physicians Insurance
9:30 - 10:15
Oral Health: Results from a Regional Approach
Strategies related to improving oral health at the community level have taken on new momentum in recent years. This session will review some of those initiatives highlighting lessons learned from experience and outcomes.
Hadley Morrow: Associate Director of Community Engagement, Better Health Together
Chuck Teegarden: Executive Director, Communities in Schools of Spokane County
Stacy Wenzel: Data Center Program Manager, Spokane Regional Health District
Maureen Finneran: Senior Program Officer, Arcora Foundation (moderator)
9:30 - 10:15
Demanding More ROI from the Employer-Based Health Care Spend
Employers continue to pay the bills for health care, but they are also more frequently demanding greater accountability from that spend. This session will review the new tools of transparency, accountability, and coordination that are coming from the commercial and group marketplace.
Craig Culbertson: Vice President, Pervidio Benefit Services
Merissa Clyde: Managing Director, Health Benefits Administration, SEIU 775 Benefits Group
Marcia Ridley: Director, Strategic Customer Engagement, Kaiser Permanente
9:30 - 10:15
ACH Projects: A Progress Report
ACHs were put into statute in 2014. They were supercharged with a waiver approved in 2016. How are they doing in 2018 now that they are almost two years through a five year funding program? This session will review the work to date, look ahead to the work to come, and discuss the lessons learned through this process.
Laurel Lee: Vice President, Member & Community Engagement, Molina Healthcare
Alison Poulsen: Executive Director, Better Health Together
Linda Parlette: Executive Director, North Central ACH
10:30 - 11:15
Federal Policy and the Post-ACA Discussion
The nature of federal health policy is still uncertain following unsuccessful initiatives in 2017 that would have repealed the ACA. From Congress to the Courts, the initiatives ranged from the narrow to the extensive. This panel will address some of those trends, topics, and issues in federal policy today.
Jane Beyer: Senior Health Policy Advisor, Office of the Insurance Commissioner
John Culton: Eastern Washington Director, Office of Senator Patty Murray
Alex Scott: Eastern Washington Director, Office of Senator Maria Cantwell
10:30 - 11:15
Moving from Curative to Comfort Care
Our understanding of what is appropriate for treatment at the end of life is changing, resulting in lower cost, better quality of life, and an improved care experience for our final days. This session will discuss the data, experience and observations driving a move to a new care model.
Jason Heffernan, MD: Medical Director, Horizon Hospice & Palliative Care
Bonnie Blachly: Assistant Program Director, Recruitment & Outreach, University of Washington, Bothell
Wendy Knowlton, DO: Physician, Providence St. Joseph's Eastern Washington
10:30 - 11:15
Is it Time for a Public Option in Washington State?
It is clear to most observers that, regardless of one’s opinion of the ACA, there remains work to be done in the commercial market on cost and access issues. Some advocates believe it’s time to launch a public option health plan in Washington State, or some version of Medicaid or Medicare for all. This session will take up the issue and talk through the policy and market options.
AnnaLisa Gellermann: Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Joan Altman: Associate Director, Legislative & External Affairs, Washington Health Benefit Exchange
Rep. Marcus Riccelli: Member, House Health Care & Wellness Committee
10:30 - 11:15
Putting a Business Model around Addressing Social Determinants
The idea of addressing the social determinants of health is now a mainstream notion. However, there isn’t yet a clear mandate or business model to support addressing them in a sustainable fashion. This group of experts will consider this challenge, and offer ideas for how to move this issue from conversation to implementation.
Patty Jones: Chief of Health Services, Community Health Plan of Washington
Julie Honekamp: Chief Executive Officer, Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners
Amina Suchoski: Executive Director & VP, Growth, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
11:30 - 12:15
Policy Leadership: Democrats
While the dynamics of the 2018 elections have yet to play out, Democrats in the legislature are already building a legislative agenda for the 2019 session. This panel will discuss the policy ideas taking shape, and what may become the legislative agenda you’ll be responding to next year. Bring your questions to an always lively discussion.
Rep. Nicole Macri: Vice Chair, House Health Care & Wellness Committee
Rep. June Robinson: Member, House Health Care & Wellness Committee
Sen. Annette Cleveland: Chair, Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee
11:30 - 12:15
Getting Our Hands around Health Disparities
While more awareness around disparities in health and outcomes exists, it’s not clear there have been many successful strategies to address those concerns. This panel of experts will discuss their work to address these issues, and point to some reasonable pathways forward for other organizations to follow.
Caitlin Safford: Director, Government Relations, Amerigroup
Nadine Van Stone: Director, Catholic Charities of Spokane
Torney Smith: Administrator, Spokane Regional Health District
11:30 - 12:15
Consumerism, Sasquatch and Other Myths of Washington State
Consumerism is one of a handful of ideas pushed in health care that has yet to gain the momentum its advocates thought it might. So, what does that mean for the role of the consumer in health care? Is the trend reversing or simply taking time to spread in the system? This session will review the implications of consumerism in health care and the success - and setbacks - to date.
Beth Johnson: CEO, Coordinated Care of Washington
Claire Verity: CEO, Pacific NW States, UnitedHealthcare
Noah Taisman: Director, Informatics & Strategic Initiatives, Quest Diagnostic
11:30 - 12:15
Value Based Payments: Real or Imagined?
For all of the talk in policy circles and marketing brochures about value based contracting and payment methodologies, fee for service models remain entrenched in Washington State health care. So, what does that mean about VBP in 2018? What is real about VBP and what is myth? This session of experts on the topic will offer their insights on the question.
Staici West: Director, Provider Network Management & Solutions, Premera Blue Cross
Joe Gifford: Senior Vice President, Population Health, Provider Markets, Lumeris
Karen Ferguson: Practice Administrator, Arthritis Northwest
12:30 - 1:00
Lunch Keynote: Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Candidate for US Congress
Cathy McMorris Rodgers is running for re-election to Congress in a seat she has held since winning election in 2004. Prior to that she served in the Washington State Legislature from 1994 to 2004 where she held the position of Minority Leader for a time. McMorris Rodgers is the fourth most senior member of the US House of Representatives where she serves as the Chair of the House Republican Conference.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers: Chair, U.S. House Republican Conference
1:00 - 1:30
Lunch Executive Panel: A Multi-Silo Critique of the State of Health Care Reform
This diverse panel of senior executive leaders will take a critical eye to the challenges and opportunities facing health care today. In a time when neither the market nor policy makers seem to be making enough progress collectively as a whole towards a more stable, more coherent system, what does that portend for the future of health care in Washington State? This session will review the state of health reform in Washington and offer predictions for progress in the years ahead.
Daryll DeWald: Chancellor, WSU Spokane
Russ Myers: Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Mason Memorial
Peter Adler: Chief Executive Officer, Molina Healthcare of Washington
1:45 - 2:30
Policy Leadership: Republicans
Whether they remain in the minority or take over either chamber, legislative Republicans will continue to provide a thoughtful alternative to Gov. Inslee’s administration and Olympia Democrats. Bring your questions to this session that will hear from some of Olympia’s most important Republican legislators.
Rep. Joe Schmick: Ranking Minority Member, House Health Care & Wellness Committee
Rep. Paul Harris: Member, House Health Care & Wellness Committee
Sen. Steve O'Ban: Ranking Minority Member, Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee (invited)
1:45 - 2:30
Can Non-Traditional Providers Close the Workforce Gap?
It’s clear that the health care system will need more providers able to meet complex, co-occurring health challenges. It’s not clear where those providers will come from. This panel of thought leaders will discuss workforce development strategies at play in 2018, and what impact those may have on Washington State’s health system.
Laureen O'Hanlon, PhD: Dean, College of Health Sciences & Public Health, Eastern Washington University
Patricia Butterfield, PhD: Associate Dean of Research, Washington State University
Dylan Dressler: Clinic Director, The Native Project
1:45 - 2:30
Addressing the Continuing Problem of Quality Variation
Reducing the challenge of variation in quality outcomes takes the right strategy, a supportive culture, and executive leadership. Without that combined intentionality, improving quality in care is practically impossible. This session of leaders will talk through their work to address quality variation, sorting through strategies that work from those that don’t.
Nancy Giunto: Executive Director, Washington Health Alliance
Diane Patterson, RN: SVP, COO, Virginia Mason Memorial
Brad Pope, MD: District Medical Director, Eastern Washington, Kaiser Permanente
1:45 - 2:30
Taking Stock of the 2018 Elections
The results from Washington State’s primary election signal a significant Blue Wave coming in November. Or do they? And what could that mean for policy in 2019? This panel of observers and practitioners of policy and politics will take up the discussion.
Sen. Michael Baumgartner: Ranking Member, Senate Labor & Commerce Committee
Sen. David Frockt: Vice Chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee
DJ Wilson: Host, State of Reform (moderator)
2:45 - 3:30
The Intersection of Health Data and Privacy
From Facebook harvesting your data to hackers stealing it, the nature of what is private and what is not is changing dramatically. How do these trends shape the future of health care in Washington State? This panel of thought leaders and experts will take up the question and address your questions.
Stephen Rose: Managing Partner, Hall Render
Joe Gellatly: Owner, Medibeat
Tierney Edwards: Associate Director, Legal & Federal Affairs, Washington State Medical Association
2:45 - 3:30
Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care
Washington State now has an array of experience integrating behavioral health and primary care. From Medicaid health plans to Kaiser Permanente’s unique model, integration is now less about whether it’s possible to when it can be implemented. This session will talk through experiences and learning related to integrating behavioral health and physical healthcare, and future opportunities for providing integrated, whole person care.
Lani Spencer: Regional Vice President, Health Care Management, Amerigroup
Jeff Thomas: Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Behavioral Health
Anne Shields, RN: Associate Director, AIMS Center, University of Washington
2:45 - 3:30
Is Medicare the Next Catalyst of Reform?
From social determinants to alternate payment methodologies, CMS is not waiting for Congress to act to improve the system. This session will review the latest news out of CMS and explain what it could mean for the future of health care.
John Hammarlund: Regional Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Region V & X
Emily Rash: Washington Operations Director, Iora Health
Dorothy Teeter: Principal, Health Management Associates
2:45 - 3:30
Addressing the Drivers of Health Care Costs
The cost of care is increasingly becoming the paramount issue in modern American health policy, the blame for which spreads across practically sectors. So, is it time to have an honest conversation about reigning some of those cost drivers in through policy solutions? This session might be a start.
Mohit Ghose: Vice President, Government Relations, Beacon Health Options
Yusuf Rashid: Vice President, Pharmacy & Vendor Management, Community Health Plan of Washington
Steve Suter: President, Health Management Administrators
Michelle Drozd: Deputy VP, Policy & Reserach, PhRMA
3:45 - 4:30
Afternoon Keynote Session: Lisa Brown, Candidate for US Congress
Lisa Brown is the former Chancellor of WSU Spokane and previously represented Spokane in the legislature where she retired as the Majority Leader. She is running for Congress from the 5th Congressional District. She is one of Eastern Washington’s leading figures in health policy and earned recognition as one of the primary advocates responsible for bringing a medical school to Spokane.
Lisa Brown: Candidate, U.S. House of Representatives