2017 HPO - Agenda

U.S. Health Reform: Where We Are and What’s Next
Moderator: Sarah Dash, Alliance for Health Policy
Speaker: Stuart Altman, Brandeis University
Speaker: Chip Kahn, Federation of American Hospitals
Speaker: Tom Miller, American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

This session reviews lessons from the major eras of U.S. health reform, status of the ACA, and options for the future.

The Role of the Courts
Speaker: Sara Rosenbaum, George Washington University

This session focuses on the role of courts in health care, discussing the use of the legal system to regulate health care and health care delivery. The session also looks at current health care cases that have been elevated to the Supreme Court.

The Executive Branch
Moderator: Lisa Simpson, AcademyHealth
Speaker: Elizabeth Fowler, Johnson & Johnson
Speaker: Jennifer Young, Tarplin, Downs & Young

This session looks at the role of the White House in health policymaking and how it relates to health-focused and non-health focused cabinet-level agencies. Panelists will discuss the office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Public Health Service agencies.

Hot Topics in Health Policy
Moderator: Lisa Simpson, AcademyHealth
Speaker: Elizabeth Carpenter, Avalere Health
Speaker: Andrew Kessler, Slingshot Solutions
Speaker: Rachel Nuzum, The Commonwealth Fund

This session will cover payment reform (APMs, ACOs, bundles, etc.), drug pricing, and the opioid epidemic.

Public Opinion and Health Policy
Speaker: Elizabeth Hamel, Kaiser Family Foundation

This session looks at how the public perceives health issues and reviews recent polling data.

How Congress Works
Speaker: Erik Fatemi, Cornerstone Government Affairs
Speaker: Cheryl Jaeger, Williams & Jensen, PLLC

This session reviews the congressional timetable and processes, as well as the role of congressional staff and committees with specific examples of legislation on health programs.

The Role of Evidence in Policymaking
Moderator: Lisa Simpson, AcademyHealth
Speaker: Jon Baron, Laura and John Arnold Foundation
Speaker: Michael O’Grady, O’Grady Health Policy LLC

This session will address the role that evidence plays in the policy process. It will explore why and when evidence is used and provide examples of when evidence successfully informed, or failed to inform, policy development in both the legislative and executive branches.

The Role of the Private Sector in the Policy Process
Moderator: Margo Edmunds, AcademyHealth
Speaker: Teresa Buckley, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
Speaker: Karen Fisher, Association of American Medical Colleges
Speaker: Priscilla Ross, American Hospital Association

This session will address the critical role that the private sector plays in policy development and implementation. Presenters will address the role of not-for-profit private organizations (e.g., advisory groups, associations, foundations) interacting with the legislative and executive branches of government and will feature recent real-world examples from the provider community.

Federal Health Policy
Speaker: Cristina Boccuti, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation - Program on Medicare Policy
Speaker: Sabrina Corlette, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms

This session will explore issues related to Medicare and its payment and delivery system reforms, health insurance coverage, and health insurance marketplaces.

The States' Health Policy Agenda
Moderator: Hemi Tewarson, National Governors Association
Speaker: Dianne Hasselman, National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD)
Speaker: Kevin Lucia, Georgetown University

This session reviews the key health issues facing the states, including Medicaid/CHIP, insurance exchanges, and the implementation of health care reform.

Behind the Curtain: Policymaking from the Staffers’ Perspectives
Moderator: Kristin Rosengren, AcademyHealth

This session is an informal, talk-show format session that brings current Hill and administration staffers together to talk about their personal stories, how they got to where they are, their backgrounds and their day-to-day life. They are a wonderful resource for information about what goes on behind the scenes, how they balance their home and work lives, and anything else that you can think of to ask them.

Information Sources for Policymaking
Speaker: Moira Forbes, MACPAC
Speaker: James Hahn, Congressional Research Service
Speaker: Kathleen King, Government Accountability Office
Speaker: Paul Masi, MedPAC
Speaker: Marie Michnich, National Academy of Medicine
Speaker: Karen Migdail, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Participants will rotate in small groups to meet with each expert to learn his/her agency’s role in providing information and resources for decision makers in the policymaking process.

Federal Budgeting
Speaker: James Capretta, American Enterprise Institute

This session presents the big picture of federal budgeting, its players, and the formal and informal budget processes, as well as how budgets influence policy and how tax cuts and budget deficits drive the policy agenda.

How to Communicate with Policy Leaders
Speaker: Kristin Rosengren, AcademyHealth
Speaker: Christy Setzer, New Heights Communications

This hands-on workshop provides pointers for communicating effectively with decision makers.  Panelists will review the various vehicles for communicating your message to key constituencies, tips on developing messages and outreach strategies, the use of media to bridge research and policy, and how to become more involved in health policy and politics.

Closing Remarks
Speaker: Kristin Rosengren, AcademyHealth