Stakeholder Conference on Exchanges Video

On August 30, 2010, HHS hosted one-day conference on issues regarding implementation of the Exchanges. Stakeholders discussed several aspects of Exchange implementation, from the needs of consumers and employers to general operations, including eligibility and enrollment of participants, plan qualifications and the role of the Exchanges in promoting delivery system reform.  Senior Administration officials from HHS, Treasury, Labor and OPM were in attendance to listen to stakeholder feedback.

Opening Remarks

Welcome: Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Remarks made by:

• HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
• Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director, White House Office on Health Reform
• Jay Angoff, Director, Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, HHS
• Phillis Borzi, Assistant Secretary of Labor, Dept of Labor
• Michael Mundaca, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Dept of Treasury
   

Panel 1: Meeting Consumer Needs

How can health insurance Exchanges educate and reach out to consumers, particularly populations with special needs like children and those without previous contact with government health programs?

Panelists:

• Dr. Bill Hall MD, Member of the Board of Directors, AARP
• Stephen Finan, Senior Director of Policy, American Cancer Society Action Network
• Dania Palanker, Healthcare Policy Coordinator, Service Employees International Union
• Jason Helgerson, Medicaid Director, State of Wisconsin
   

Panel 2: Small Employers

How can Small Business Health Options Programs (SHOPs) help small businesses band together to get a better deal on health care for their employees?

Panelists:

• Terri Gardner: National Policy Director, Small Business Majority
• Phil Vogel: Sr Vice President, Connecticut Business & Industry Association Service Corps
• Vince Malta, 2010 Vice President & Gov’t Affairs Liaison, Nat’l Association of Realtors
• Michael Johnson, Director of Public Policy, Blue Shield of California
   

Panel 3: Qualified Plans & Design

How will plans participate in the new Exchanges? What do qualified plans look like? How will bidding and rating work? How will Exchanges avoid adverse selection?

Panelists:

• Christina Nyquist, Vice President, Public Policy, Aetna
• Ruth Liu, Sr Director, Health Policy, Kaiser Permanente
• Bill Kox, Director of Insurance Bureau, Wisconsin Dept of Employee Trust Funds
   

Panel 4: Operation of Exchanges

How should Exchanges be governed? Should they be non-profits or state agencies? What minimum standards should they meet? How should an Exchange in non-electing States work?

Panelists:

• Rick Curtis, President, Institute for Health Policy Solutions
• Michael McRaith, Director, Illinois Department of Insurance
• Glenn Shor, Executive Director, Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Gary Claxton, Vice President and Director of the Health Care Marketplace Project, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
   

Panel 5: Promoting Quality Improvement and Affordability

How can Exchanges create incentives to improve the quality of health care for all Americans?

Panelists:

• Gerry Shea, Assistant to the President for External Affairs, AFL-CIO
• Lori Heim, President, American Academy of Family Physicians
• Helen Darling, President, National Business Group on Health
   

Panel 6: Enrollment and Eligibility

How can Exchanges streamline and improve enrollment into private insurance and connect Americans to tax credits and Medicaid?

Panelists:

• Andrew Allison, Executive Director, Kansas Health Policy Authority
• Jocelyn Guyer, Co-Executive Director, Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF)
• Dean Mohs, Executive Director, Brooklyn Healthworks, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
• Rachel Klein, Deputy Director of Health Policy, Families USA