A National Conference on Health Care Reform in Massachusetts: How to Organize Exchanges & Other Lessons Learned

January 21

Introductory Remarks

Jay Gonzalez, Massachusetts Secretary of Administration and Finance and Chairman of the Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority Board

The Future of Massachusetts Health Reform: Reforming the Delivery & Payment Systems to Improve Outcomes & Contain Costs                           

Don Berwick, President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
PowerPoint Presentation [1]

Stuart Altman, Professor of National Health Policy, Brandeis University
PowerPoint Presentation [2]

Reactors:

JudyAnn Bigby, MD, Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services

Massachusetts State Senator Richard Moore

Massachusetts State Representative Harriett Stanley

January 22

Session 1: Overview of Massachusetts Health Care Reform: The Advantages and Challenges of Having a State Exchange                               

This session will provide context for how Massachusetts has reached significant milestones with health reform, reviewing the process of implementation and the overall structure of the Massachusetts Health Connector. This session also will review the benefits of having a state exchange as well as the key issues that a state should consider when determining whether to pursue a state-level exchange.

Jon Kingsdale, Executive Director, Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority
PowerPoint Presentation [3]

Session 2: Commonwealth Care                                          

This session will provide an overview of Commonwealth Care, the state’s subsidized health insurance program. Presenters will discuss how the state determines and re-determines eligibility, handles patient appeals, the determination and delivery of subsidies, contracting with managed care organizations and other health plans, bidding strategies, and risk adjustment protocols.

Rosemarie Day, Deputy Director, Connector Authority: Overview
PowerPoint Presentation [4]

Patrick Holland, CFO, Connector Authority: Procurement, Risk Adjustment, Working with the MCOs
PowerPoint Presentation [5]

Deb Enos, CEO, Neighborhood Health Plan: Managed Care Organization Perspective
PowerPoint Presentation [6]

Robin Callahan, Director of Member Policy and Program Development, Massachusetts Office of Medicaid: Coordination between State Agencies
PowerPoint Presentation [7] 
                                                                    

Session 3: Commonwealth Choice                                        

This session will focus on Commonwealth Choice, the unsubsidized health insurance program for uninsured adults. Panelists will cover various issues related to the program including: implementing insurance market reforms, negotiating with health plans, awarding the state’s seal of approval, etc.

Kevin Counihan, Chief Marketing Officer, Connector Authority: Overview
PowerPoint Presentation [8]

Patrick Holland, CFO, Connector Authority: Seal of Approval
PowerPoint Presentation [9]

Eric Schultz, CEO, Fallon Community Health Plan: Health Plan Perspective
PowerPoint Presentation [10] 
                                                                                            

Session 4: Outreach and Public Education                           

Outreach and education is a critical component of the reform. This session will review Massachusetts’ public education campaign and partnership building efforts that drove enrollment to a near universal level.

Joan Fallon, Chief Communication Officer, Connector Authority: The Connector’s Public Education Campaign
PowerPoint Presentation [11]

Bob Nevins, CIO, Connector Authority: The Website –A Critical Tool
PowerPoint Presentation [12]

Charles Joffe-Halpern, Board Chairman, Health Care for All, and former Health Connector Board member: Grassroots Outreach
PowerPoint Presentation [13]
                                                                                 

Session 5: Lessons Learned - Recommendations and Mistakes to Avoid

Panelists will share lessons learned and recommendations for how to proceed in the planning and implementation of an exchange, with a focus on what mistakes to avoid along the way.

Jon Kingsdale, Executive Director, Connector Authority

Mike Widmer, President, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Nancy Turnbull, Senior Lecturer in Health Policy, Harvard School of Public Health
and Connector Board member

Jonathan Gruber, Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Connector Board member

Jamie Katz, General Counsel, Connector Authority
       

Session 6: How States Can Prepare for Federal Reform                  

Enrique Martinez-Vidal, Vice President, AcademyHealth (moderator)

Bob Carey, Principal and Founder, RLCarey Consulting
PowerPoint Presentation [14]

John McDonough, U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Christopher Koller, Rhode Island Health Insurance Commissioner

Brian Webb, Manager, Health Policy and Legislation, National Association of Insurance Commissioners