Health Seminar for Newer Legislators

1 p.m.

Registration

Welcome and Overview

Martha King, group director, NCSL

Tahra Johnson, program manager, NCSL

Barbara Boner, director, State Government Affairs, Novartis

State Policymakers’ Roles in Health Policy and Public Health Priorities for States
State governments play a number of roles in health policy, including purchaser, access broker, regulator, guardian of the public’s health, safety net provider and educator. This session will provide an overview of state public health, as well as state priorities, challenges and successes related to the costliest health issues.  

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-35 pages
    
Moderator:

Tahra Johnson, program manager, NCSL

Speaker:

Kelly Colopy, director, Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services

Tour and Dinner Reception at Novartis Facility

Welcome Remarks:

Peter McNamara, Ph. D, executive director of General Medical Biology

Medicaid: Overview and Innovations
Medicaid accounts for about 20 percent of the average state’s budget. This session will provide an overview of the program, potential forthcoming changes and state efforts to make it more efficient and effective.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-20 pages

Moderator:

Samantha Scotti, policy associate, NCSL  

Speakers:  

Lisa Waugh, program director, NCSL
Jonathan Freedman, managing principal, Health Management Associates

Health Insurance Issues and Health Reforms
State governments play a primary role in regulating insurance plans, whether or not they’ve operated the marketplace exchanges within their states. This session will provide an overview and discussion of state roles in health plan regulation, consumer protections, exchanges, sales across state lines, coverage innovations, and a timely snapshot update of proposed changes at the federal level.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-20 pages

Moderator:

Martha King, group director, NCSL

Speakers:

Colleen Becker, policy specialist, NCSL
Justin Giovannelli, associate research professor and project director for the Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute

Federal Policy Update

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-9 pages

Speaker:

Haley Nicholson, policy director, NCSL

Access to Health Care Services
States continue to address health access issues, including providing services in rural areas, implementing telehealth, accessing oral health services, improving maternal and child health and addressing workforce shortage issues.  This session highlights state strategies to improve access to health care services. Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss selected topics with experts and each other during a series of table discussions.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-9 pages

Moderator:

Erik Skinner, policy associate, NCSL

Content Experts:  
Kate Blackman, program manager, NCSL – telehealth
Sydne Enlund, policy associate, NCSL – workforce
Karmen Hanson, program director, NCSL – behavioral health / peer support specialists
Tahra Johnson, program manager, NCSL – maternal and child health
Haley Nicholson, policy director, NCSL – federal policy
Samantha Scotti, policy associate, NCSL – rural facilities
Erik Skinner, policy associate, NCSL – oral health

Bringing It Together
Participants will share questions, comments and areas of interest to discuss on Sunday.

Moderator:

Tahra Johnson, Program Manager, NCSL

Medical and Adult Use Marijuana Regulation
Participants will learn about state regulation of marijuana from a brief presentation and have an opportunity to discuss the topic with experts and other legislators.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-8 pages

Speaker:

Karmen Hanson, program director, NCSL

Prescription Drugs
Prescriptions drugs provide life-saving treatments and help control diseases and debilitating conditions. They also present legislators with challenges, including affording some of the new “miracle drugs” for Medicaid patients and state employees. This session will highlight a range of prescription drug issues.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-27 pages

Moderator:

Martha King, NCSL

Speakers:

Dick Cauchi, program director, NCSL
Steve Fitton, principal, Health Management Associates
Kipp Snider, vice president, State Advocacy, PhRMA

Discussants:
Speakers Listed Above
Leigh Anne Leas, vice president and U.S. country head, Public Policy, Novartis

Behavioral Health
Participants will learn about behavioral health, which includes both Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Severe Mental Illness (SMI). This session will focus on state policy options and trends to address the opioid crisis and mental health, as well as policies that affect both mental health and substance misuse. There will be time during this session for legislators to ask questions and to share what their states are doing on the opioid crisis and mental health policy.

Powerpoint Presentation | PDF file-12 pages

Speakers:

Karmen Hanson, program director, NCSL
Kate Blackman, program manager, NCSL
Margaret Wile, policy specialist, NCSL

Adjourn