Conference on Health Care Reform

     The Louisiana Association of Health Plans (LAHP) will conduct its 2011 annual conference on Thursday, Dec. 2 focusing on the implementation of federal and state health care reform.

   The conference on “Navigating Health Care Reform” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hilton New Orleans Airport in Kenner, Louisiana.

   Less than a month after historic Congressional elections, the future of the federal “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” is uncertain.  At the same time, Louisiana is moving forward with major changes to its struggling Medicaid program.  These are perhaps the most far-reaching health care developments in the nation and Louisiana in the past 45 years.

   The LAHP conference will feature experts on health care reform and perspectives from prominent federal and local health care stakeholders.  An overview of federal health care reform provisions and implementation will be presented by Dean Rosen, a national policy expert from Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti in Washington, D.C.  Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon will discuss the role of the Department of Insurance in implementing federal provisions. Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Secretary Bruce Greenstein will present his ideas on incorporating coordinated care networks in the state’s Medicaid program.   Carol Steckel, recently appointed as Executive Director of Health Care Reform for Louisiana, will introduce her new role at DHH.

   A health care reform panel will include top representatives from health plans, physician groups, hospitals, producers and employer groups.  Panelists will include Patrick Quinlan, MD, CEO of the Ochsner Health System; Tammy Duncan, vice president of human resources for Lamar Advertising; Ed Silvey, CEO of The Baton Rouge Clinic; Cynthia Depew, regional director for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP); and Michael Keegan, director of state affairs for the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU).  The panel will be moderated by well-known political commentator and former chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party, Jim Nickel.

  “We are pleased about the high quality of presenters and panelists coming together at our event this week,” said Gil Dupré, CEO of LAHP.  “We look forward to focusing on the challenges of reform implementation and the impact on employers, health care providers and health plans.”

   Detailed program and registration information is available at www.lahp.net.

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The Louisiana Association of Health Plans (LAHP) is the state trade association for the health benefits industry.  The association serves as the advocate of the health benefits industry in delivering quality, cost-effective health care benefits in Louisiana. For more information, visit www.lahp.net.