2024 Utah State of Reform Health Policy Conference

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

We’re opening the conference with a keynote from Nate Checketts, the deputy director of the Utah Department of Health & Human Services. Grab a seat as Checketts updates the audience on the state health agency’s priorities and goals for 2024.

Nate Checketts: Deputy Director, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

The health insurance coverage landscape in Utah has seen significant fluctuations over the past few years as the state navigated the pandemic and subsequent Medicaid redeterminations. This panel will discuss the partnerships that developed during the pandemic and how private insurance can support Utahns who were recently disenrolled from Medicaid. 

Julie Ewing, JD: Compliance Director, University of Utah Health Plans

Matt Slonaker: Executive Director, Utah Health Policy Project

Laura Summers: Director of Industry Research, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

Kathleen Nolan: Senior Regional Vice President, Health Management Associates (moderator)

It’s critical for the Utah health sector to support the state’s rural population. Rural areas have notably lower access to care and a sparse workforce. This panel will discuss the issues facing rural communities including the threat of workplace violence for healthcare workers, challenges of recruitment and retention of providers, and the closure of critical units in hospitals.  Join this panel for a robust conversation about how various silos in state healthcare can work together to aid the state’s rural patients and providers.

Keith Horwood, MD: Physician, Community Health Centers Utah

Stephanie Lyden, MD: Vascular Neurologist, Faculty Director, RUUTE (Rural Underserved Utah Training Experience) & Regional Affairs, University of Utah Health

Matthew McCullough, PhD: Rural Hospital Improvement Director, Utah Hospital Association

Marc Watterson: Director, Primary Care & Rural Health, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

David Lee: Principal, Health Management Associates (moderator)

Growing Utah’s workforce pipeline is one part of the solution to Utah’s workforce shortage, but retaining existing providers is equally as important. Providers are leaving at concerning rates due to burnout, workplace violence, and pay competition. This panel will look at ways Utah leaders can best support the state’s current providers so they feel comfortable in their positions and can continue to do their critical work.

Tiffiny Lipscomb: Vice President, Human Resources, Intermountain Health

Dr. Andrew Nydegger, DNP, MSNEd, RN, CNE: President, Utah Nurses Association

Cameron Wright: Project Director, Presidential Initiatives, University of Utah

Patricia Doxey: Associate Principal, Health Management Associates (moderator)

Much of the healthcare reform being discussed at today’s event can’t be accomplished without sufficient data sharing capacity. A significant gap exists in Utah’s ability to share comprehensive health data between different entities. This panel will discuss how to streamline communication between health data systems, the role of APIs, and more.

Anna Basevich: Senior Vice President of Enterprise Partnerships & Customer Enablement, Arcadia

Navina Forsythe, PhD, MPA, CIPM: Chief Data & Privacy Officer, Utah Health Information Network

Caitlin Schneider, MPH: Senior Network Director, Promise Partnership Utah

David Lee: Principal, Health Management Associates (moderator)

Utah has cemented itself as a national leader in value-based care. The One Utah Health Collaborative leads the way in fostering partnerships to proliferate value-based care in the state. Join this panel to hear about the status of Utah’s work to increase the value and reduce the cost of care, and how stakeholders like you can play a part in this impactful work.

Andrew Croshaw: Chief Executive Officer, Families First Pediatrics

Peter Weir, MD: Chief Population Health Officer, University of Utah Health

Sarah Woolsey, MD: Medical Director, Association for Utah Community Health

John Poelman: Director of Innovation, One Utah Health Collaborative (moderator)

Rising healthcare costs are exacerbating affordability challenges for patients. Utah health leadership is working to curb this growth by identifying and mitigating cost drivers. This panel will talk through the most promising strategies for containing costs to ensure Utah healthcare services are affordable for patients.

Sri Bose, PhD, MA: Director of Research, One Utah Health Collaborative

Eric Hales, MHA, CHIE: Vice President, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah

Sharon Lamberton, MS, RN: Deputy Vice President, State Policy & External Outreach, PhRMA

Rep. Norm Thurston: State Representative, Utah House of Representatives

Spencer Morrison: Associate Principal, Health Management Associates (moderator)

It’s important to support patients in their navigation of the complex healthcare system. Listening to the experiences of patients themselves and applying their input to policy reform is an important way to ensure they can receive the services they need. Join this panel for a conversation about enhancing the consumer experience with Utah’s healthcare system.

Ari Bruening: Chief Executive Officer, Envision Utah

Stephanie Burdick: Consumer Representative, Utah Department of Health & Human Services Medical Care Advisory Committee

Daryl Herrschaft: Take Care Utah Director, Utah Health Policy Project

Maury Giles: Chief Growth Officer, Heart+Mind Strategies (moderator)

The Utah health sector has long worked to ensure behavioral health services are incorporated into primary care and given equal consideration to physical health. This panel of experts will provide an update on integration efforts in Utah and discuss the path forward.

Adam Cohen, MBA: President & Chief Executive Officer, Odyssey House

Brent Kelsey: Director, Substance Use & Mental Health, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

Rob Wesemann, CMHC: Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness Utah

Lori Wright: Chief Executive Officer, Family Healthcare

Rebecca Nielsen: Managing Director, Health Management Associates (moderator)

The rate of homelessness in Utah has significantly increased over the past few years. The health sector has prioritized the establishment of affordable housing, but work remains to be done to support the state’s housing-insecure population. This panel will provide an overview of recent state efforts and talk through potential paths forward.

Janida Emerson: Chief Executive Officer, Fourth Street Clinic

Michelle Flynn: Executive Director, The Road Home

Tyler Riedesel: Housing Insecure Population Epidemiologist, Utah Department of Health & Human Services 

Wendy Gunnerson: Senior Director, Health Management Associates (moderator)

Ensuring that Utah’s older residents have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare remains a top priority for the state’s health sector. Hear from experts as they evaluate the impact of recent state activity to improve care for older Utahns and explore the best courses of action for future policymaking.

Anne Asman, MS: Program Manager, Huntsman Mental Health Institute Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic

Nels Holmgren: Division Director, Aging & Adult Services, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

Paul Leggett: Division Director, Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services

Alan Ormsby: State Director, American Association of Retired Persons Utah

Scott Pingree, MPA, MBA: Managing Principal, Health Management Associates (moderator)

Utah’s implementation of Medicaid expansion coincided with the federal public health emergency’s suspension of eligibility redeterminations for the program in 2020. This collision led to convoluting the state’s Medicaid coverage landscape. With the end of the redetermination process in sight, this panel will discuss the status of Utah’s Medicaid program and how to ensure access to the healthcare safety net moving forward.

Brian Roach: Assistant Division Director, Integrated Healthcare, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

Greg Trollan: Director, Office of Managed Healthcare, Integrated Healthcare, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

Jennifer Strohecker: State Medicaid Director/Division Director of Integrated Healthcare, Utah Department of Health & Human Services (moderator)

Utah‘s 2024 legislative session ended last week. This panel will identify the noteworthy health-related legislation that was heard by the legislature this year. They will also discuss the impact passed legislation will have on the state’s healthcare system. Speakers will also discuss the legislative initiatives that stakeholders might continue to see pursued in the interim.

Carrie Butler: Executive Director, Utah Public Health Association

Rachel Craig: Government Affairs Manager, Association for Utah Community Health

Frank R. Pignanelli: Senior Managing Partner, Foxley & Pignanelli

Daniel Sloan: Health Policy Analyst, Utah Health Policy Project

Kathleen Nolan: Senior Regional Vice President, Health Management Associates (moderator)

To wrap up the day, we’ve convened a group of the state’s top public health leaders for a conversation about Utah’s public health infrastructure. Several years after COVID-19 hit and shook public health systems across the country, how has Utah applied the lessons learned from the pandemic and refined its public health system? What work remains? Be sure to join this group of expert leaders for an informative discussion.

Leisha Nolen, MD, PhD: State Epidemiologist, Utah Department of Health & Human Services

Carrie Butler: Executive Director, Utah Public Health Association

Kathleen Nolan: Senior Regional Vice President, Health Management Associates (moderator)