This two-day invitational meeting—hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures with support from The Commonwealth Fund—brings together senior-level health policy staff to learn about and discuss state strategies to achieve affordable, quality health care systems. The meeting will feature national and state experts discussing state policy levers related to health system reforms and efficiencies, including access to care, public and private coverage, and cost issues.
Wednesday, Oct. 12
Welcome Reception
This session will include an overview, group introductions and brief remarks from NCSL and Commonwealth Fund health leadership on the efforts of state policymakers, legislative staff and other stakeholders to achieve affordable, quality health care systems nationwide.
Speakers:
Tahra Johnson, NCSL
Christina Ramsay, program officer, federal and state health policy, The Commonwealth Fund
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Mega-Session: Health Cost Containment
Addressing rising health care costs is a concern for all states. This session will explore state policy options, including implementing value-based payment arrangements, assessing marketplace consolidation and increasing price transparency.
Speakers:
Sabrina Corlette, co-director, Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown University
Erin Fuse Brown, director, Center for Law, Health and Society, Georgia State College of Law
Michael Bailit, president, Bailit Health
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Thursday, Oct. 13
State Approaches to Prescription Drug Affordability
States are considering a variety of policies aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs. While some states require price and cost transparency, for example, others are establishing prescription drug affordability boards. This session will examine how these strategies, and others, may improve drug affordability.
Speakers:
Jane Horvath, principal, Horvath Consulting
Mariana Socal, associate scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Medicaid: Unwinding From the Public Health Emergency
When the public health emergency ends, Medicaid agencies will be tasked with completing eligibility reassessments for everyone enrolled in the program, affecting millions of beneficiaries. This session will discuss the role Medicaid has played over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and how unwinding from public emergency will impact Medicaid programs, marketplaces, beneficiaries, providers and state policymakers.
Speakers:
Sally Mabon, director of programs, State Health and Value Strategies
Dawn Stehle, deputy director for health and Medicaid director, Arkansas Department of Human Services
Tamara Gunter, director of consumer assistance, Maryland Health Benefit Exchange
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Behavioral Health Trends in Crisis Response and Treatment
This session will examine recent policy trends in behavioral health crisis response for public and correctional settings, including access to opioid and other treatments during incarceration and after release. Interactive table discussions will be included.
Speakers:
Vikki Wachino, principal, Viaduct Consulting LLC, and executive director, Health and Reentry Project
Kevin Martone, executive director, Technical Assistance Collaborative
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Strategies to Improve Maternal Health
This session will cover state strategies to reduce maternal mortality and related racial and geographic disparities. Speakers will address a variety of topics, including postpartum coverage, access to care and community-based initiatives.
Speakers:
Maggie Clark, senior state health policy analyst, Center for Children and Families, Georgetown School of Public Policy
Respondents:
Tara Boockholdt, senior budget and policy analyst, Georgia House Budget and Research Office
Michael Fahncke, principal counsel, New Jersey Office of Legislative Services
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This meeting is supported by The Commonwealth Fund, a national, private foundation based in New York City that supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The views presented during the meeting are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of The Commonwealth Fund or NCSL.