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Medicaid 101 Policy Academy

September 18-20 | Hilton Alexandria Mark Center | Alexandria, VA

The CSG Medicaid 101 Policy Academy is designed for members of the legislative and executive branch looking to further their knowledge of Medicaid policy fundamentals and aims to provide a wide lens of the issues to promote understanding and discussion. The 2023 Medicaid 101 program includes a special focus on the role of state policymakers in oversight of state Medicaid programs along with a session on the expansion of behavioral health services under Medicaid. Attendees will also hear about the latest data on the process of redetermining the eligibility status of Medicaid beneficiaries following the end of the public health emergency, how 1115 waivers are allowing states to innovate in their Medicaid programs and about the workforce shortages impacting all sectors of the health care workforce.

Agenda

September 18-20, 2023

Hilton Alexandria Mark Center

Alexandria, VA

 

Agenda

All events take place in the Walnut Room on the Lobby Level of the Main Tower,

unless otherwise noted.

Wi-Fi Log-In: Hilton_Meeting

Access Code: MEDICAID2023

To access this agenda, speaker bios, a list of sponsors, PowerPoint presentations and other resources:

https://www.csg.org/work/csg-policy-academy-series/medicaid-101-2023/

Monday, Sept. 18

 

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.      Registration

Location: Walnut Room Pre-Function Area

 

2:00 – 2:30 p.m.       Welcome and Introductions

  • Sean Slone, senior policy analyst, The Council of State Governments

State Policymaker Co-Hosts:

  • Lisa Lee, commissioner, Department for Medicaid Services, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
  • Lynnette Rhodes, executive director, Medical Assistance Plans, Georgia Department of Community Health

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.       Role of State Policymakers in Medicaid Policy

Lindsey Browning of the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) will discuss the roles legislative and executive branch policymakers play in shaping Medicaid policy and invite attendees to share their own experiences in addressing Medicaid-related issues.

Facilitator:

  • Lindsey Browning, director of Medicaid programming, National Association of Medicaid Directors

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.       Top Issues Facing Medicaid: What State Policymakers Need to Know

Medicaid experts will discuss the top issues facing the program in 2023, including the process of redetermining eligibility following the end of the public health emergency, recent proposed rules and guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and how states are innovating to address the needs of Medicaid populations.

Panelists:

  • Lindsey Browning, director of Medicaid programming, National Association of Medicaid Directors
  • Jennifer Tolbert, director of state health reform and associate director, Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, KFF
  • Jennifer Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN, founding executive director, Institute for Medicaid Innovation

 

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.       Opening Reception

Location: Finn & Porter Patio, Upper Level

 

Tuesday, Sept. 19

 

7:30 – 8:00 a.m.       Breakfast Buffet

Location: Walnut Room Pre-Function Area

8:00 – 10:30 a.m.     Presentation and Workshop on Legislative Oversight of State Medicaid Programs

Facilitator: Ben Eikey, manager of state training and development, Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, Wayne State University Law School

  • Presentation will include explanation of differences in oversight structures and six avenues of oversight.
  • Interactive exercise will first build understanding of developing an oversight plan amongst the whole group before splitting into small groups to use the oversight plan framework on different assigned topics within Medicaid.
  • Report outs: The group will come back together for brief presentations on the oversight plan for each topic. The exercise is designed to model how a legislative committee or commission might come together and plan how to go about getting more information on a Medicaid topic.

 

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Medicaid and Behavioral Health

Experts and attendees will discuss how states are expanding coverage of behavioral health services under Medicaid.

Speakers:

  • Heather Saunders, post doctorate fellow, Program on Medicaid & Uninsured, KFF
  • Keris Myrick, vice president of partnerships, Inseparable
  • Attendees from states that have worked to expand behavioral health coverage:
  • Kentucky: Commissioner Lisa Lee

Kentucky recently received approval from CMS to provide essential behavioral health services through mobile crisis intervention teams.

  • Arkansas: Rep. Fran Cavenaugh and Deputy Director Janet Mann

Arkansas’ Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME) 1115 demonstration waiver seeks to improve health outcomes, including in the area of behavioral health.

  • Delaware: Rep. Kerri Evelyn Harris

Delaware’s Diamond State Health Plan 1115 demonstration waiver extension authorizes expanded behavioral health services in the Promoting Optimal Mental Health for Individuals through Supports and Empowerment (PROMISE) program and expanded access to substance use disorder services.

  • Illinois: Sen. Ann Gillespie

Illinois’ Behavioral Health Transformation 1115 waiver extension seeks to broaden the focus of the original demonstration to enhance Illinois’ healthcare delivery system to address root causes of health disparities by focusing on social determinants of health (SDOH).

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.     Lunch Buffet

Location: Walnut Room Pre-Function Area

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.       Health Innovation Roundtables

In a series of short presentations, private sector health interests discuss innovations in medicine and health care delivery that touch the Medicaid population and potential policy activities to support them.

Presentations:

  • Boehringer Ingelheim

Discussion topic: Prescription Digital Therapeutics – Innovations in Improving Patient Access

This session will explore what PDTs are, how they are improving access to care and treatment, and considerations for state legislatures and Medicaid on this innovative treatment approach.

Presenter: Andy Heller, Director, Market Access, Boehringer Ingelheim

  • Novo Nordisk

Discussion Topic: Obesity Epidemic in States: How Legislators & Medicaid leaders are taking action.

This session will explore what states are doing to tackle obesity in their Medicaid population and what you should consider in your own population.

Presenters: Ann Vermilion and Dave Moody, Regional Leads for State Government Affairs, Novo Nordisk.

  • Philips:

Discussion topic:  How states can leverage technology to improve maternal health care in underserved areas.

This discussion will focus on how technology has evolved to bring maternal care closer to mom. Providers are deploying remote ultrasound, remote fetal monitoring and remote patient monitoring to improve access to care. Attendees will hear about creative approaches from state Medicaid authorities to ensure access to these technologies.

Presenter: Evan Hoffman, Director of State and Local Government Relations, Philips

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.       Innovating in State Medicaid Programs: 1115 Waivers

Experts and attendees will discuss how states are using 1115 waivers to innovate in their Medicaid programs.

 Speakers:

Topic: Overview of 1115 waivers and initiatives addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and health-related social needs (HRSN).

  • Randy Pate, Founder, Randolph Pate Advisors; former deputy administrator and director, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Topic: How CMS views the waiver process as a vehicle for innovation in areas like addressing obesity.

Kentucky has sought an amendment to its KY HEALTH 1115 Demonstration aimed at improving health outcomes for individuals with serious mental illness and health-related social needs.

  • Arizona: Carmen Heredia, Director, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System

Arizona’s AHCCCS offers a program to provide specified evidence-based health-related social needs services to targeted populations, including housing supports and case management and education linkages.

  • Florida: Rep. Michelle Salzman

Florida’s Managed Medical Assistance 1115 Waiver includes a behavioral health and supportive housing assistance pilot program that provides: transitional housing services, tenancy sustaining services, mobile crisis management, and peer supports.

 

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.       Participant Discussion

                                    An opportunity for attendees to discuss and debrief on the academy so far.

 

5:00 – Dinner on your own

 

Wednesday, Sept. 20

 

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.       Breakfast Buffet

Location: Walnut Room Pre-Function Area

 

9:00 – 10:45 a.m.     Medicaid & the Future of the Health Care Workforce

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated workforce shortages across the health care spectrum, leaving employers, state policymakers and their partners scrambling for solutions. This session will examine the challenges faced by the primary care, behavioral health, long-term care and telehealth workforces, the Medicaid populations impacted, the initiatives aimed at addressing those challenges, and some projects designed to highlight new solutions as they materialize.

 Speakers:

  • Sean Slone, senior policy analyst, The Council of State Governments.

Topic: SEED Mental Health Policy Framework and Long-Term Care Workforce Project

  • Clese Erikson, deputy director, Health Workforce Research Center, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, George Washington University.

Topic: Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages.

  • Hemi Tewarson, executive director, National Academy for State Health Policy

Topic: “State Strategies to Support the Future of the Primary Care Physician and Nursing Workforce.”

  • Natasha Bryant, senior director of workforce research & development, LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston – Washington, DC Office.

Topic: Career pathways for direct care workers

  • April Young, senior director of strategic initiatives, ADvancing States.

Topic: State initiatives to support direct care workers.

  • Kyle Zebley, senior vice president for public policy, American Telemedicine Association

Topic: Telehealth workforce

 

10:45 – 11:00 a.m.  Concluding Remarks, Online Survey and Adjournment

Speakers

Lindsey Browning

Director of Medicaid Programming

National Association of Medicaid Directors

 

Lindsey Browning joined the National Association of Medicaid Directors in May 2014. In her role as program director, she leads various grant-funded projects to support Medicaid Directors and their senior staff in navigating the Medicaid program’s most pressing policy issues. These projects focus on issues ranging from delivery system and payment reform to behavioral health integration and Medicaid managed care. Before coming to NAMD, Lindsey worked at the Children’s Hospital Association where she conducted research and analysis on state policy trends in Medicaid and CHIP. She also supported the association’s work to analyze and respond to regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act.

Natasha Bryant

Senior Director of Workforce Research & Development

LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston – Washington, DC Office

Natasha Bryant is Senior Director of Workforce Research & Development in the Washington, DC office of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Her work focuses on developing, testing, and disseminating workforce improvement initiatives to attract and retain quality staff at all levels of aging services organizations. Bryant helped the LeadingAge Workforce Cabinet develop core competencies and behavioral standards for personal care attendants and mid-level managers. She also managed a national initiative to improve the recruitment and retention of direct care workers.

Ben Eikey

Manager of State Training and Development

Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, Wayne State University Law School

 

Ben Eikey is the Manager of State Training and Development at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. His primary responsibilities include helping to build the State Oversight Academy by developing quality programming for the state legislative audience and the public. He does this through state legislative oversight workshops for a national audience, short podcasts on specific oversight topics called FAST Classes, and state-specific content including workshops at state capitols across the country. Ben helps equip legislators with the tools and best practices needed for bipartisan fact-finding, and to empower legislators to see differences in perspective as an advantage when seeking facts together. Whether it is how to ask better questions in a hearing, how to leverage a department budget to secure a reporting requirement for a government program or service, or how to build an oversight plan when approaching a long-term investigation, Ben is always ready to assist legislators through the State Oversight Academy to help fulfill the legislature’s role as the “eyes and ears” of the people.

Clese Erikson

MPAff, Deputy Director, Health Workforce Research Center, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity; Lead Research Scientist, Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University

Ms. Erikson is the Deputy Director of the Health Workforce Research Center on Emerging Health Workforce Issues at The George Washington University and a member of the senior leadership team of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity. She is currently the Principle Investigator on a three-year behavioral health workforce study funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Before joining GW, Ms. Erikson was senior director of the Center for Workforce Studies at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), where she was responsible for overseeing the Center’s research strategy, directing efforts on how workforce needs are evolving under new payment and delivery models and regularly convened workforce researchers to enhance methods and dissemination of findings.

Elizabeth Hinton

Associate Director, Program on Medicaid & Uninsured

KFF

Elizabeth (Libby) Hinton is an Associate Director with KFF’s Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, where she focuses primarily on tracking Section 1115 Medicaid waiver activity and on Medicaid managed care. Ms. Hinton is also a key member of KFF’s annual 50-state Medicaid budget survey team. Prior to joining KFF, Ms. Hinton served as a Research Project Coordinator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Health Services Research and Development in Primary Care.

Jennifer E. Moore, PhD, RN, FAAN

Founding Executive Director

Institute for Medicaid Innovation

 

As the founding executive director of the Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) and assistant research professor at the University of Michigan medical school’s department of obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Moore focuses her efforts on strategically bringing together payers, clinicians, researchers, and government to design and evaluate innovative approaches to address maternal health issues such as alternative payment models, inequities and disparities, social determinants of health, community voice and partnership, and a full range of perinatal specific topics. Dr. Moore’s current grant-funded research projects include work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to assess Medicaid access and coverage through the first national longitudinal survey of Medicaid managed care organizations. She is also leading a W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded national midwifery and Medicaid learning collaborative to increase access and coverage to high-value, evidence-based maternal models of care that are underutilized in the Medicaid program.  She is also involved in the Advancing Health Equity learning collaborative focused on reducing disparities through payment and delivery system reform. Prior to forming IMI, Dr. Moore spent three years at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), ultimately serving as the senior advisor and senior health scientist in the agency’s Office of Women’s Health & Gender Research. She gained public policy experience as Director of Government Affairs for the Michigan Nurses Association and as Director of Government Relations for the American College of Nurse-Midwives before joining the National Association of Chain Drug Stores as Director of Policy and Programs.

Keris Jän Myrick

Vice President of Partnerships

Inseparable

Keris Jän Myrick is the Vice President of Partnerships at Inseparable. She previously served as the Co-Director of The Mental Health Strategic Impact Initiative (S2i) which aims to advance the transformation of mental health by catalyzing cross-sectional reforms, strengthening collaborations, and bridging gaps. She currently serves on the Board of and is policy liaison for the National Association of Peer Specialists (N.A.P.S.) and the Board of Directors for Mental Health America. Ms. Myrick previously held positions as the Chief, Peer and Allied Health Professions for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs for the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the United States Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), President and CEO of Project Return Peer Support Network, a Los Angeles-based, peer-run nonprofit and the Board President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Randy Pate

Founder, Randolph Pate Advisors; former deputy administrator and director, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

 

Randolph (Randy) Pate is the founder of Randolph Pate Advisors LLC, located in the Washington DC area. His management and strategic consulting firm provides leadership to health insurers, healthcare providers, technology companies, and state governments. Randy brings over two decades of public and private sector health care policy and regulatory experience to his consulting practice. In his most recent government role, Randy served as Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO).

Hemi Tewarson

Executive Director

National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)

Hemi Tewarson, JD, MPH is the executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization committed to improving the health and well-being of all people across every state. At NASHP, Hemi leads an organization that is at the forefront of engaging state leaders and bringing together partners to develop and advance state health policy innovations. Under her direction, NASHP is leading efforts with states in areas including state COVID-19 recovery, health care costs and value, coverage, child and family health, aging, family caregiving, health care workforce, behavioral health, social drivers of health and equity, and public health modernization. Previously, Hemi worked at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy as a senior fellow and served as the director of the Health Division at the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices. She also served as senior attorney for the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, addressing Medicaid and related health care topics for members of Congress. 

Jennifer Tolbert

Director of State Health Reform and Associate Director

Program on Medicaid & Uninsured, KFF

 

Jennifer Tolbert is the director of the State Health Reform and Data Program at KFF and an associate director of its Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured. She directs research and policy analysis on Medicaid eligibility and enrollment policies and access to and affordability of coverage for low-income populations, including people who are uninsured. In addition, Tolbert manages State Health Facts, a source for state-level data on over 800 key health topics. Prior to joining KFF, Tolbert served as the assistant vice president for policy at America’s Essential Hospitals. Before that, she worked in the office of the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

April Young

Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives

ADvancing States

April Young is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at ADvancing States. In this role, she manages a variety of projects related to business acumen, the direct service workforce, and social isolation. She also serves on several state technical assistance teams. Previously, Ms. Young served as the Senior Director of National Core Indicators – Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) a survey tool project that is utilized by states to track quality of life and outcomes data for aging and disability populations. Before joining ADvancing States, Ms. Young worked as a policy advisor specializing in long-term services and supports for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin with a concentration in Community and Administrative Leadership.

Heather Saunders

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Program on Medicaid & Uninsured

KFF

Heather Saunders is a postdoctoral fellow at the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Her work focuses on behavioral health policy, the mental health workforce shortage, and health care delivery for people with disabilities. Prior to joining KFF, she participated in evaluations for Virginia Medicaid programs, using quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Kyle Zebley

Senior Vice President, Public Policy, American Telemedicine Association (ATA) & Executive Director, ATA Action

Kyle Zebley is Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and Executive Director of ATA Action. He is working with and on behalf of ATA and ATA Action members and like-minded organizations to eliminate barriers to the expansion of telehealth and ensure patients, providers, and payers can realize the benefits of virtual care. Previously, Kyle was the Chief of Staff in the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He collaborated with senior leadership from HHS, the White House, and other cabinet departments to develop, advise, and promote U.S. global health policy, including in such policy areas as drug pricing, global health security, medical devices, and non-communicable diseases. Prior to HHS, he worked in Congress as a Legislative Director, leading a legislative team in developing policy and drafting legislation, particularly on matters concerning the House Committee on the Budget, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Andy Heller

Director, Market Access

Boehringer Ingelheim

Andy Heller leads Market Access activities for Boehringer Ingelheim’s Prescription Digital Therapeutic (PDT) asset. Prior to Boehringer Ingelheim, Andy worked at Pear Therapeutics, where he led Market Access efforts for their portfolio of PDTs, including reSET and reSET-O for substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD), respectively. Before Pear, Andy worked in health systems marketing, covering Boehringer Ingelheim’s portfolio of respiratory products. 

Evan Hoffman

Director of State and Local Government Relations

Phillips

Evan Hoffman serves as Philips’ Director of State and Local Government Relations. In this role, he leads Philips’ state and local government affairs efforts across the United States, working closely with mayors, city councilors, state legislators and governors. Evan works with state policymakers on advancing policies that achieve the quadruple aim of improving the patient and staff experience, improving patient outcomes, while lowering the cost of care. Evan frequently works with state Medicaid agencies, state departments of health and other health-focused policymakers. He frequently speaks on issues surrounding telehealth, maternal health and increasing access to care. 

Dave Moody

Regional Lead, State Government Affairs

Novo Nordisk, Inc.

Dave covers state policy and government affairs for WA, IL, WI, UT, IA, NE, MI, MN. Prior to joining Novo Nordisk, David directed state government affairs activities at Pfizer, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Endo Health Solutions, and Quest Diagnostics, where he led the development and implementation of strategies for a vast array of healthcare policy issues. 

Ann Vermilion

Regional Lead, State Government Affairs

Novo Nordisk, Inc.

Ann covers state policy and government affairs for KY, TN, IN, MO, SD, ND & MT. Prior to joining the Novo Nordisk team, Ann served as a State Representative for the Indiana General Assembly, authoring nearly $1.2B in commitments to public health and health disparities for Hoosiers during her time as a legislator. Ann also brings knowledge from her over 20 years in healthcare and hospital administration. 

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