2023 Florida State of Reform Health Policy Conference

We are thrilled to welcome US Department of Health and Human Services Region 4 Director Antrell Tyson as our Opening Keynote speaker! Grab a coffee and take a seat for what is sure to be a valuable discussion about how recent federal policy changes will impact Florida’s health sector.

Antrell Tyson: Region 4 Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Beth Kidder: Managing Principal, HMA (Moderator)

Florida recently wrapped up its 2023 legislative session, with a variety of new health-related laws set to be implemented after being passed by lawmakers. Hear from this knowledgeable panel of experts about the key health-related legislation to come out of this year’s session and how it will impact Florida’s healthcare sector.

Holly Bullard: Chief Strategy & Development Officer, Florida Policy Institute

Scott Darius: Executive Director, Florida Voices for Health

Kyle Simon: Director of Government Affairs and Communications, Home Care Association of Florida

Laura Zaremba: Principal, HMA (Moderator)

Health equity and maternal health have long been identified as priority areas for Florida healthcare policy. But it’s becoming increasingly evident that in order to achieve fully equitable health outcomes, health equity needs to be baked into every part of the care continuum. How far has Florida come in achieving this goal, and what work remains to be done? We’ve brought together a group of experts to discuss Florida’s work to bridge equity gaps in healthcare.

Jamarah Amani: Executive Director, Southern Birth Justice Network

Pamela Cook: APRN OB/GYN, Central Florida Health Care

Jennifer Sweet: Chief Executive Officer, Aetna Better Health of Florida

Fernanda Kuchkarian: Director of Programs, Health Foundation of South Florida (moderator)

Florida began the process of redetermining Medicaid eligibility in March, making efforts to lower Florida’s uninsured rate more top-of-mind than ever. Learn how the first few weeks of implementation have gone, how Florida is working to ensure those at risk of becoming ineligible are connected to alternative coverage options, and how stakeholders can continue to support increasing coverage.

Erica Li: Policy Analyst, Florida Policy Institute

Jodi Ray: Principal Investigator & Project Director, Florida Covering Kids and Families

Jafet Rios: Regional Director of Operations – Region 1, True Health

Alison Yager: Executive Director, Florida Health Justice Project

The 2023 legislative session just ended, and now stakeholders are looking ahead to the implementation of Florida’s recently passed health legislation. We’ve brought together this panel of lawmakers to talk through the dynamics of this year’s session, what they view as the successes and setbacks, and their plans for future health policymaking in the state.

Sen. Alexis Calatayud: Member, Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Rep. Robin Bartleman: Member, Florida Children, Families and Senior Subcommittee

Rep. Linda Chaney: Member, Pandemics and Public Emergencies Committee

Brian Meyer: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates (Moderator)

Florida’s healthcare system has been increasingly focused on addressing the social factors that determine an individual’s health, such as housing, income, and race/ethnicity. While implementing efforts to address these determinants is important, measuring their success and applying what’s learned to future initiatives is equally important. Join this group of subject area experts for a robust discussion on the best ways Florida can address the social determinants of health.

Lisa Bell: Community Benefits Director, Baycare Hospital

Loreen Chant: President & Chief Executive Officer, Health Foundation South Florida

Daniel Rowinsky: Lead Attorney, Medical Legal Partnership Project, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc

Kelli Stannard: Senior Consultant, HMA (Moderator)

Florida’s Medicaid program is seeing significant changes as the state undergoes the initial phases of eligibility redeterminations. As health leaders continue to consider which services to cover, where to set reimbursement rates, and other Medicaid policy decisions, this informative panel will provide an update on the changes underway and the road ahead for the state’s safety net.

Mike Jones: Plan President, Molina Healthcare of Florida

Nate Landsbaum: Plan President & Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Health

Justin Senior: Chief Executive Officer, Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida

Beth Kidder: Managing Principal, HMA (Moderator)

A multitude of consequential policy decisions have emerged from the federal government over the past couple of years. As the US moves toward a “post-pandemic” era, and federal PHE-related assistance is being whittled down, the Biden administration has implemented provisions to extend Medicaid continuous coverage for children, allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, and many more impactful policies. Engage with this panel of federal policy experts to hear what you need to know about recent federal health policy movement.

Ashley Grimes: President, NAMI Florida

Antrell Tyson: Region 4 Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

David Muhlestein: Chief Research & Innovation Officer, HMA (Moderator)

Gov. DeSantis has made lowering prescription drug costs a focal point for his administration. With the Florida Legislature taking up bills to regulate pharmacy benefit manager practices, coupled with recent federal action on prescription drug policy, how have these recent changes impacted the accessibility and affordability of medications? In this panel, key stakeholders will discuss the status of prescription drug policy in Florida.

Ben Browning: Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Florida Association of Community Health Centers

Stephanie Hengst: Manager, Policy & Research, The AIDS Institute

David Walters: Sr. Consulting Actuary I, Wakely Consulting Group (Moderator)

The healthcare workforce continues to be perhaps the most critical area of need for healthcare stakeholders across the country. With shortages continuing to limit care access, and financial strains hitting hospitals hard as the cost of recruitment and retention increase, fortifying Florida’s healthcare workforce is a top priority. This panel will feature a robust conversation on recent efforts to support the healthcare workforce and identify some of the work that remains to be done.

Cliff Bauer: Vice President Government Relations and Joint Ventures, Miami Jewish Health

Brad Herremans: Chief Executive Officer, Suncoast Community Health Centers

Clay Meenan: Government Affairs Manager, Florida Hospital Association

Janisse Schoepp, PhD: Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Health Foundation of South Florida

Value-based care is becoming increasingly adopted as a solution for lowering overall healthcare costs in Florida. Join this forward-looking panel to hear expert insight about how recent VBC efforts are lowering costs, and the best ways to promote the further adoption of alternative payment models.

Karen van Caulil, PhD: President & Chief Executive Officer, Florida Alliance for Healthcare Value

Chris Daher: Vice President, Network Development and Provider Relations, Magellan

Alex Yarijanian: Chief Executive Officer, CareNodes

Michael Forster: Sr. Consulting Actuary I, Wakely Consulting Group (Moderator)

While it has always been a priority for stakeholders, behavioral healthcare has come to the forefront of healthcare policy as rates of behavioral health challenges and substance use disorder skyrocketed following the pandemic. At the same time, we are seeing increasing calls for behavioral health to be integrated with physical health. We curated this expert panel to discuss the status of the behavioral health integration effort in Florida and what to expect in state behavioral healthcare policy in the future.

Patty Babcock: Lead Director, Aetna Better Health of Florida

Melanie Brown-Woofter: President & Chief Executive Officer, Florida Behavioral Health Association

Allie Franklin: Principal, HMA

Karen Perez: Board Member, District 6, Hillsboro County School Board

Patrick Glynn: Senior Vice President, National Client Partnerships, Carelon Behavioral Health (Moderator)

Everyone in healthcare can agree that increasing care quality and accessibility are top priorities. How to accomplish that, however, is complicated, and there are a variety of perspectives on the best way to do so. How is Florida working to promote quality care and increase patient access to care, and how effective has this work been? Join this panel for an informative conversation about this work and how it might be improved upon heading into the future.

William Delaney: Chief Strategy Officer, Carelon Behavioral Health

Hillit Meidar-Alfi: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Spatially Health

Joey Resnick: Chief Executive Officer, Premier Community HealthCare Group

Rachel Stewart: Consulting Actuary II, Wakely Consulting Group (Moderator)

State of Reform is thrilled to welcome former Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, Simone Marstiller, as our Closing Keynote! After more than two decades of public service, Secretary Marstiller ended her time with AHCA last year. The longtime health leader will draw on her extensive experience to discuss Florida’s recent health policy changes and her predictions for the future of healthcare in the state.

Simone Marstiller: Former Secretary of Medicaid, Agency for Health Care Administration

Beth Kidder: Managing Principal, HMA (Moderator)