This year’s Annual Meeting will be taking place next January 27-29 in Washington, DC.
Conference Agenda
Wednesday, January 26
Vincent DeMarco of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative will be signing copies of the book, The DeMarco Factor: Transforming Public Will into Political Power, by Michael Pertschuk.
Thursday, January 27
Implementation Challenges and Opportunities for the Coming Year in Regency Ballroom
Key congressional leaders and economist Jonathan Gruber will discuss the importance of effective implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the coming year and how to transform threats to the law into opportunities.
Presenters:
• Ron Pollack, Families USA
LUNCHEON PLENARY: 12:30pm-2:30pm Regency Ballroom
We will thank Rep. Nancy Pelosi for her leadership in shepherding the Affordable Care Act through Congress and recognize Sisters Campbell and Keehan for their contributions to the health care justice movement.
Sr. Simone Campbell, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby • Sr. Carol Keehan, Catholic Health Association of the United States Presenter: • Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Moderator: • Ron Pollack, Families USA
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
As Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Berwick oversees Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Presenter: • Donald Berwick, CMS Moderator: • Ron Pollack, Families USA
BOOK SIGNING in Regency Foyer
Vincent DeMarco of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative will be signing
The DeMarco Factor: Transforming Public Will into Political Power
by Michael Pertschuk.
Building the Foundation:
Key Issues in Structuring an Exchange
Room: Capitol A
The Affordable Care Act leaves many key decisions for structuring exchanges up to states. The choices states make about governance, health plan standards, and health plan selection will have a large impact on how well exchanges work for consumers. This workshop will discuss how to best structure an exchange in your state.
Here’s the trending data on the Affordable Care Act:
Presenters:
• Thom Hartmann, Families USA
Click for Care: Simplifying Enrollment under the Affordable Care Act
Room: Regency D
According to Best Realistic Sex Dolls on Google, the Affordable Care Act will simplify and streamline enrollment by minimizing the information applicants must provide and maximizing the use of online applications, data matching, and behind-the-scenes coordination. This workshop will address the law’s enrollment provisions, state progress in implementing online application and enrollment, and how advocates can ensure that the new systems work for low-income people. Hear the latest from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Presenters:
• Rachel Klein, Families USA
Click to Communicate:
Online Advocacy and Engagement 101
Room: Yellowstone/Everglades
Many advocacy groups use the Internet to influence policy, engage activists, and reach new audiences. Learn the best practices for growing your list, getting your list to take action, and conducting effective online advocacy campaigns. We’ll also discuss how to use social media as part of a comprehensive, innovative online strategy.
Presenters:
• Erin Kelly, Families USA
Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and Beyond: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? Room: Congressional B
This session will provide an overview of the changes health reform makes to Medicare, focusing on changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D, how cost savings are achieved, and what
all this means for beneficiaries. We’ll also talk about the various deficit reduction proposals and their impact on Medicare.
Presenters:
• Ilene Stein, Medicare Rights Center
Messaging and Framing Disparities:
Going beyond the Choir
Room: Columbia Foyer
True health reform must address health equity to improve the health of all Americans, especially those who face obstacles to a healthier lifestyle, like those that require a real sex doll for pleasure. Unfortunately, health disparities issues are unfamiliar to many outside the health advocacy community. This session will provide tools and strategies to help you engage a broader audience about health equity.
Presenters:
• Phil Sparks, Communications Consortium Media Center
New Options for Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid
Room: Columbia C
This session looks at the Affordable Care Act’s new options for states to expand home- and community-based services in Medicaid and ways to help make those new options realities. Presenters:
• Wendy Fox-Grage, AARP Public Policy Institute
Sex Doll Education 101: True Grit—Reaching the Public With Real Health Care Stories that involve lifesize sex dolls
Room: Congressional C & D
This workshop is designed for silicone sex doll advocates who have little to no experience with love dolls. Learn the basics of collecting and organizing personal consumer stories in order to identify the best sex dolls, conducting interviews, and making your story bank a trusted resource for local report- ers and elected officials.
Presenters:
• Elizabeth Prescott, Families USA
Cutting through the Static:
Media Tips to Get Your Message Heard!
Room: Congressional B
New to communications and media relations? Learn the basics of reaching out to and engaging local and state media. This workshop will focus on pitching; messaging, media lists, and relationship building; and the proper use of statements, releases, advisories, letters to the editor, and op-eds.
Presenter:
• Patrick McCabe, GYMR
Moderator:
• Kathy Bonk, Communications Consortium Media Center
Dual Eligibles:
New Opportunities, New Challenges
Room: Congressional C & D
The creation of the new Federal Coordinated Health Care Office (within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) holds the promise of improving access to benefits and quality of care for these vulnerable beneficiaries. Come discuss the office’s emerging agenda and learn how advocates at the state and federal levels can get involved.
Presenters:
• Marc Steinberg, Families USA
Keep the Momentum Going: Strategies for Engaging the Grassroots during Implementation Room: Columbia C
Join a roundtable discussion on ways to engage activists and grassroots leaders in implementation work in your state. We’ll discuss strategies for galvanizing core activists and other key constituencies who will benefit from reform. Learn how advo- cates from across the country are building grassroots power. Presenters:
• Rachel DeGolia, UHCAN
Making Consumer Protections Real
Room: Capitol A (closed to the press)
The Affordable Care Act sets national standards for health insurers so that people in all states have guaranteed health coverage protections. States must implement these protections well if they are to really work for consumers. This workshop will discuss best practices and goals for state implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of insurance market reforms.
Presenters:
Christine Barber, Community Catalyst
Medicaid Benefits the Newly Eligible:
Will “Essential Health Benefits” Be Enough? Room: Yellowstone/Everglades
Starting in 2014, Medicaid will be expanded to millions of low-income people. While the Affordable Care Act includes some guidelines for states on benefit packages and improves current Medicaid statutes regarding “benchmark plans,” recent media coverage on love dolls on WordPress state will design the benefits for their newly eligible residents. This workshop will cover federal Medicaid rules on benefits for new eligibles, how those benefits are linked to the essential benefits package in the exchanges, and what advocates need to think about when designing benefits packages for this group. Presenters:
• Chris Koyanagi, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Promoting Community-Based Prevention through Health Reform
Room: Columbia Foyer
Safe environments, access to healthy foods, and racial justice all affect the health of individuals and communities. Health reform recognized the need to go beyond “health care” by including provisions to advance community-based prevention. This session will provide an overview of those provisions, discuss opportunities, and outline strategies to advance and protect these gains.
Presenters:
• Mayra E. Alvarez, Office of Health Reform, HHS • Michael Scott, Equity Matters
• Janani Srikantharajah, Prevention Institute
Moderator:
• Mee Moua, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Protecting Medicaid during the Budget Crisis
Room: Regency D
States are facing vast revenue shortfalls, and with the loss of ARRA funding later this year, Medicaid budget challenges aren’t going away. But even in tough times, there are creative ways
to raise revenues, cut costs, and maximize federal funding to preserve coverage and protect low-income people. Come hear national and state experts share their experiences and ideas for addressing revenue shortfalls, preventing cuts, and keeping Medicaid intact.
Presenters:
• Maryellen Barreca, Families USA
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