May 23, 2023

The Lansing Center

2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference

Conference Overview

The 2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference will once again be taking place in-person at the Lansing Center on May 23rd, 2023!

State of Reform pulls together practitioners, thought leaders, and policy makers – each working to improve our health care system in their own way – into a unified conversation in a single place. If you are interested in understanding what occurs at the nexus of healthcare policy and politics, then this is the conference for you.

Join us at the Lansing Center on May 23rd to discuss the most important health care activities taking place in Michigan. If you have questions or speaker suggestions, please feel free to drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!

Topical Agenda

Here is our 2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference Topical Agenda! This represents input from hours of conversations with our Convening Panel and stakeholders across the spectrum of Michigan healthcare over the last number of months.

If you have suggestions for speakers, please feel free to drop us a line. We would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Please note that all agenda times are local.

We are honored to have such a diverse group of leaders from across the health care community joining us to help build our 2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference!  Take a look at the names of folks we are lucky enough to partner with for our event.

Want to be a speaker?  Want to join the Convening Panel?  Just have questions?  If so, drop us a line and let us know you’re interested. We would love to have you with us!

FirstLastTitleOrganization
TashaBlackmonPresident & CEOCherry Health
Phillip Bergquist CEO Michigan Primary Care Association
Debbie BrinsonCEOHonor Community Health
Adam Carlson Senior Vice President, AdvocacyMichigan Health and Hospital Association
HeatherChristensenPresidentMichigan Pharmacists Association
ElizabethHertelDirectorMichigan Dept. of Health and Human Services
Paul LoffredaPlan President Blue Cross Complete
Dennis MourasPlan CEO - Community & StateUnited Healthcare of Michigan
DominickPalloneExecutive DirectorMichigan Association of Health Plans
Tim PletcherExecutive DirectorMichigan Health Information Network Shared Services
DaveSchneiderManaging PrincipalHealth Management Associates
RobertSheehanCEOCommunity Mental Health Association of Michigan
Marti Kay SherryPlanning ManagerBureau of Health Care Services, MDOC
DonSimilaCEOUpper Great Lakes Family Health Center
RebeccaSnowCFOCenter for Family Health
MoniqueStantonPresident & CEOMichigan League for Public Policy
ReggieWallaceBusiness Development ManagerCarelon Behavioral Health

Event Sponsor

HMA - Health Management Associates

Major Sponsors

Carelon Behavioral Health Aetna  United Healthcare  Get Insured by Vimo Gainwell Technologies

Track Sponsor

Molina Healthcare

Event Sponsors

Major Sponsors

Carelon Behavioral Health Aetna  United Healthcare  Get Insured by Vimo Gainwell Technologies

Track Sponsors

Molina Healthcare

Exhibitor Sponsors

Want to sponsor an upcoming conference?

See Sponorship Details

Our 2023 Michigan State of Reform Health Policy Conference Detailed Agenda is a list of over 50 speakers and experts from across the spectrum of care.

The agenda and speaker list are driven by input from our Convening Panel of leaders in Michigan healthcare which makes it possible to look forward to a great event on May 23rd!

For now, let us know if you have any questions about the conference. We look forward to seeing you in-person in Lansing!

Time
Title
7:30 - 8:30

Networking Breakfast

The networking breakfast will take place before the conference begins to allow attendees to grab a light refreshment and connect with their fellow colleagues before we kick things off for the day.

8:30 - 9:15

Opening Keynote

Farah Hanley, Chief Deputy Director for Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, will kick off our conference by discussing the overall challenges facing Michigan healthcare today, and MDHHS’s plan to address them. She will outline the agency’s current work and her vision for the future of the department.

Farah Hanley: Chief Deputy Director for Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Dave Schneider: Managing Principal, HMA (Conference Host)

9:30 - 10:30

Political Insights into the MI Legislature

The Michigan Legislature has taken up an abundance of significant health-related legislation this year, from care integration to protections for abortion care. We’ve convened this group of experts to talk through the health policy conversations happening at the capitol and what stakeholders might expect by the end of the session.

Karla Ruest: Former Director, Legislative Affairs, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Monique Stanton: President & Chief Executive Officer, Michigan League for Public Policy 

Phil Yeiter: Director of Government Affairs, Priority Health

9:30 - 10:30

An Update on D-SNPs & Integrating Care

Care integration has been a prominent conversation for Michigan’s healthcare sector over the past few years. With an initiative to integrate behavioral and physical health failing last year, lawmakers and stakeholders this year have been considering a reformulated integration through dual-eligible special needs plans. Hear from this group of care integration experts about the current landscape and what the future holds.

Michael Genord, MD: President & Chief Executive Officer, HAP

Michael Parr: D-SNP Executive Director, UnitedHealthcare

Dave Schneider: Managing Principal, HMA (Moderator)

9:30 - 10:30

Addressing Health Disparities & Maternal Health Outcomes

With a growing focus on bridging gaps in health equity, Michigan continues to see disparate health outcomes among certain populations. One focus area in Michigan is maternal health, with Black women in the state continuing to experience much higher rates of maternal mortality than other demographics. This panel will provide an overview of the state’s current work to address these disparities, and offer insight about the best ways to continue to improve health equity moving forward.

Kiddada Green: Founding Executive Director, Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association

Bianca Nash-Miot: Founder, Birth Queens and Milk Queens

Amy Zaagman: Executive Director, Michigan Council for Maternal & Child Health

10:45 - 11:45

Legislators Discuss the Future of Healthcare Policy

It’s been a busy legislative session for lawmakers, with reproductive healthcare and gun control being just some of the important policy discussions happening at the capitol this year. We’ve brought together this group of legislators working closely on healthcare-related bills for a conversation about how the legislature has approached healthcare policymaking this year, as well as the key legislation stakeholders should be aware of.

Sen. Sylvia Santana: Majority Vice Chair, Senate Health Policy Committee

Rep. Julie Rogers: Chair, House Health Policy Committee

Rep. Curt VanderWall: Minority Vice Chair, House Health Policy Committee

10:45 - 11:45

What's Next with Medicaid Managed Care

With an increasing number of Michiganders enrolling in Medicaid managed care, what results have value-based payment structures produced in the state? How might the upcoming reprocurement affect health plans and their members? The future of managed care in Michigan is a topic of utmost interest, and these experts will hold a robust discussion about what might be on the horizon.

Brad Barron: Director, Managed Care Plan Division, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Jason Jorkasky: Senior Vice President of Health Finance, Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Tiffany Stone: Deputy Director, Medicaid Policy, Michigan Association of Health Plans

Linda Henderson Smith, PhD: Senior Product Director, Carelon Behavioral Health (Moderator)

10:45 - 11:45

Housing & Food Insecurities as Health Issues

There is a growing recognition among the healthcare sector that resources like housing and food are a critical factor in the overall health of Michiganders. These factors have increasingly been incorporated into healthcare policymaking, but many Michiganders still remain unhoused and/or food-insecure. This group of panelists will discuss how to ensure that these social drivers of health are integrated into broader efforts to improve healthcare in Michigan.

Julie Cassidy: Senior Analyst, Michigan League for Public Policy 

Veatrice Futch: Lead Director, Aetna

Dawn Opel: Chief Innovation Officer & General Counsel, Food Bank Council of Michigan

12:00 - 1:00

Networking Lunch

1:00 - 2:00

Emerging Models for Behavioral Health: CCBHCs and Health Homes

Michigan’s adoption of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model has yielded positive results during its first years. The state has also tackled behavioral health challenges through the use of Health Homes, providing targeted mental health and substance use disorder services to underserved Michiganders. Join this group of experts in Michigan’s behavioral health landscape for a discussion measuring the success of these programs and offering insight about potential future innovations.

Tracy Andrews: Director of Managed and Integrated Care Services, Northern Lakes CMH

Trish Cortes: Executive Director, Washtenaw County CMH

Lindsey Naeyaert: State Administrative Manager, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Dave Schneider: Managing Principal, HMA (Moderator)

1:00 - 2:00

Multi-Sector Solutions to Workforce Challenges

The healthcare workforce shortage continues to have detrimental effects on every aspect of the healthcare system. As demand for care increases, hospitals continue to see employees leave due to burnout and facilities are competing for staff as wage expectations fluctuate. This panel will discuss how hospitals, academic institutions, and other sectors can collaborate to solve today’s most pressing workforce challenges.

Amy Brown: Chief Nursing Officer, Sparrow Hospital Lansing

Celena Mills: Education Consultant, Office of Career and Technical Education, Michigan Department of Education

Drew Murray: Senior Director for Strategy and Public Affairs, Michigan Health Council

1:00 - 2:00

How has Recent Pharmacy Legislation Affected Access to Drugs?

Ensuring equitable access to increasingly costly prescription drugs is a top priority for healthcare stakeholders. Recent action at the federal level has instituted multiple important changes, including the ability for the federal government to negotiate Medicare reimbursement rates. Learn from our panel of experts how recent policy changes have impacted Michiganders’ access to critical medications.

Elizabeth Kutter: Senior Director, Government & Political Affairs, Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Christopher Meny: Director of Pharmacy, Blue Cross Complete of Michigan

Dominick Pallone: Executive Director, Michigan Association of Health Plans

2:15 - 3:15

The Impact of the PHE Unwinding & Closing the Coverage Gap

The unwinding of the public health emergency is top-of-mind for virtually everyone in the healthcare sector, and with it, continued conversations about how to increase overall health coverage. Michigan will begin the Medicaid continuous eligibility unwinding process next month, with the first disenrollments from the program expected to occur in July. Join this insightful discussion about the implications of these changes and how stakeholders can work to minimize the number of uninsured Michiganders.

Michael Cabonargi: Region Director, Region V, US Department of Health and Human Services

Nicole Hudson: Assistant Administrator for Chief Deputy for Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Nancy Jenkins: Market President & Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Health Plan

Heather Korbulic: Vice President, Policy and Communications, GetInsured

Anne Scott: Health Center Operations Officer, Michigan Primary Care Association

2:15 - 3:15

Evaluating Methods to Lower Healthcare Costs and Improve Price Transparency

Most stakeholders would agree that lowering healthcare costs should be a top priority for Michigan health policy. With recent federal legislation designed to promote more transparency in the pricing of services, how is Michigan working to reduce the financial burden healthcare places on patients? This group of experts will discuss current efforts to lower costs, evaluate what’s working and what’s not, and offer future strategies for bending the cost curve.

Phillip Bergquist: President & Chief Executive Officer, Michigan Primary Care Association

Philip Lieffers: Director of Finance, Novello Physicians Organization

Brian Mclane: Senior Director, Customer Experience and Consumer Insights, Priority Health Plan

2:15 - 3:15

Embracing Michigan's Future in HIT

Innovative health data collection capabilities, along with increasing calls for stronger data sharing infrastructure, have come to the forefront of conversations around state health policy. Moving to a more interconnected healthcare system with centralized, accessible data—while continuing to protect patients’ health information—will require collaboration and consensus across sectors. Join these panelists for a deep dive into Michigan’s health information technology landscape and what the future might hold.

Theresa Anderson: Strategic Alignment & Engagement Project Specialist, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Scott Monteith, MD: Medical Director, Board Member, Network180, MiHIN

Rajesh Sharma: VP and GM for Systems Integration, Data Analytics and Interoperability, Gainwell Technologies

Monica Trevino: Director of Social Enterprise, Michigan Public Health Institute

Jim McEvoy: Data Analytics Resources Director, HMA (Moderator)

3:30 - 4:00

Closing Keynote

Marianne Udow-Phillips, Former Executive Director of the Center for Health and Research Transformation, will wrap up our program with her insights on the most critical current issues in Michigan healthcare. Drawing from her experience as a healthcare executive and state official, as well as CHRT policy studies and reports, she will look at future policy directions and strategies to address Michigan’s biggest healthcare challenges.

Marianne Udow-Phillips: Former Executive Director, Center for Health and Research Transformation

Dave Schneider: Managing Principal, HMA (Conference Host)

4:00

Reception

Please join us following the Closing Keynote session for a networking reception. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be included, giving attendees a wonderful opportunity to follow up on the discussions we’ve had throughout the day.

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