2026 North Carolina State of Reform Health Policy Conference

Join us as we kick off the day by hearing from Dr. Caprice Knapp, Deputy Secretary for Medicaid at CMS. Knapp will discuss the work being done at the federal level to innovate publicly funded healthcare coverage, and how recent changes in Medicaid policy will impact North Carolina’s health sector.

Caprice Knapp, PhD: Principal Deputy Secretary, North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

Details coming soon.

Kody Kinsley: Senior Policy Advisor, Institute for Policy Solutions, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Moderator: John Eller: County Manager, Cabarrus County

Hear from some of the leading lawmakers in the North Carolina Legislature about healthcare policymaking in the state. These legislative leaders will discuss the legislation they’re supporting this session, the key bills that have advanced, and the health-related issues they’ll continue to prioritize in the future.

Sen. Dan Blue: Member, Health Care Committee, North Carolina Senate

Rep. Timothy Reeder: Deputy Majority Whip, North Carolina House of Representatives

Sen. Benton Sawrey: Chairman, Health Care Committee

Moderator: Brandon Greife: Principal, Health Management Associates

Children and families involved in North Carolina’s child welfare system often face complex physical, behavioral, and social health challenges. This panel will explore how healthcare providers, managed care organizations, public agencies, and community partners are working together to improve care coordination, expand access to behavioral health services, address health-related social needs, and strengthen outcomes for children in foster care and other vulnerable populations. Attendees will gain insights into innovative partnerships, policy developments, and strategies for building a more integrated and equitable system of care. 

Angela Boykin: Chief Executive Officer, Healthy Blue

Cody Inman: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children & Families

Moderator: Christine VanDonge: Senior Consultant, Health Management Associates

As North Carolina’s healthcare workforce faces growing demands, organizations must invest in the recruitment, retention, and development of future leaders. This panel will explore strategies for building strong leadership pipelines, engaging emerging professionals, supporting career advancement, and fostering a resilient workforce. Hear from healthcare leaders and workforce experts on innovative approaches to mentorship, succession planning, and talent development that can help ensure the state’s healthcare system remains strong for years to come. 

Erin Fraher, PhD, MPP: Professor, Vice Chair of Research, Program on Health & Workforce Research & Policy

Rebekah Gee, MD, MPH, MS, FACOG: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Nest Health

Rebecca Kaufman: Director of Public Health, Wake County

Hugh Tilson: Executive Director, North Carolina Area Health Education Centers

North Carolinians who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid often must navigate two separate programs, multiple benefit structures, and a fragmented system of medical, behavioral health, long-term services and supports, and community-based care. This panel will explore what meaningful Medicare-Medicaid integration should look like in practice. State, health plan, provider, and consumer perspectives will examine how North Carolina can preserve trusted provider relationships, coordinate care across settings and programs, support people in their homes and communities, and reduce the burden placed on beneficiaries and families to navigate the system themselves. The discussion will also consider the operational foundations needed to deliver on that promise, including aligned care management, accountable partnerships, timely information exchange, member engagement, and incentives that reward better outcomes rather than disconnected services. 

Brandy Bailey: Associate Vice President, Integrated Clinical & LTSS, Humana

Dave Richard: Senior Vice President, McGuireWoods

Moderator: Julie Faulhaber: Senior Advisor, Health Management Associates

A strong public health system depends on sustainable investments in the foundational capabilities that support disease prevention, emergency preparedness, data modernization, community partnerships, and population health improvement. This panel will explore strategies to strengthen and finance North Carolina’s public health infrastructure, examine emerging funding opportunities and challenges, and discuss how state and local leaders can build a more resilient public health system that improves health outcomes for communities across the state. 

Patrick Brown: Executive Director, North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors

Moderator: Tomasso Giovanni: Associate Principal, Health Management Associates

North Carolina has long been a leader in primary care innovation and population health. As the state advances new value-based payment strategies, including prospective payment approaches contemplated through the Rural Health Transformation Program, primary care is once again at the center of reform. This panel explores the next chapter of primary care transformation in North Carolina and what it will take for providers, health plans, and policymakers to build a more accountable, sustainable, and prevention-focused system. 

Heidi Chan: Market President, Amerihealth

Elizabeth Kasper: Senior Advisor, Care Delivery & Payment Reform, North Carolina Medicaid, North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

Tom Wroth, MD, MPH: President & Chief Executive Officer, Community Care of North Carolina

North Carolina’s healthcare systems are facing mounting financial, workforce, and operational pressures as they strive to meet the changing needs of the communities they serve. This panel will explore the core challenges shaping health system sustainability, including reimbursement shifts, workforce shortages, rising costs, and persistent barriers to access. Healthcare leaders will share perspectives on how organizations can strengthen resilience, sustain essential services, and plan for a more stable, equitable future for providers, patients, and communities across the state. 

Jason Lowry: Executive Director, Government & Public Affairs

Maggie Sauer: Director, Office of Rural Health, North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

Chad Setliff: Triangle Region President, UNC Health

Moderator: Patrick Meadors: Associate Principal, Health Management Associates

North Carolina continues to advance efforts to build a more accessible, integrated, and effective behavioral healthcare system. This panel will explore strategies to expand access to mental health and substance use services, strengthen the behavioral health workforce, improve care coordination, and enhance crisis response across communities. Panelists will discuss emerging innovations, policy developments, and partnerships that can help create a more equitable and sustainable system of care for North Carolinians. 

Kevin Denmark: Senior Vice President, Market Head of Behavioral Health, Bamboo Health

Joshua Sprunger: Associate Vice President of Behavioral Health Growth, Molina

North Carolina is home to a thriving life sciences sector that is driving breakthroughs in research, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical innovation. This panel will explore how collaboration between industry, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and policymakers is accelerating the development of new treatments, improving patient outcomes, and expanding access to high-quality care. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges ahead as the state leverages its life sciences leadership to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians. 

Laura Rowley: Vice President, Life Sciences Economic Development, NC Biotech

Moderator: Ben Shand: Vice President, Client Partnerships, Health Management Associates

Across the healthcare ecosystem, policy-driven disruption is no longer isolated—it is interconnected. Medicaid redeterminations, evolving CMS community engagement (workforce) requirements, heightened program integrity expectations, and ongoing Medicaid financing pressures are creating ripple effects across payers, health systems, and community-based providers. This panel will explore how these forces are reshaping patient access, workforce models, revenue cycle performance, and financial sustainability. Panelists will share cross-sector perspectives on where misalignment is creating friction—from coverage gaps and administrative burden to documentation challenges and reimbursement volatility—and where new approaches to coordination are emerging.

Anita Bachmann: North Carolina Health Plan Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealthcare

More speaker information coming soon.

In this Closing Plenary, hear from Deputy Secretary for Medicaid Melanie Bush as she discusses her agency’s work to improve healthcare for North Carolinians. Bush will offer her insight on navigating ongoing federal change, increasing healthcare coverage across the state, and more.

Melanie Bush: Deputy Secretary for Medicaid, North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

Moderator: Brandon Greife: Principal, Health Management Associates