Schedule
2023 Washington Representatives Retreat Schedule (PDF)
2023 Washington Representatives Retreat
Graduate Annapolis Hotel
Annapolis, MD
November 16 – November 17, 2023
Agenda Outline
Thursday, November 16
9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Registration Open
11:45 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Welcome and Meeting Overview
Remarks by:
• Eric Gascho, SVP, Policy and Government Affairs, National Health Council
12:05 – 12:50 p.m. The Road Ahead for Health Policy by the End of 2023 and into 2024
Leaders from the S-3 group, one of DC’s foremost public policy consultancies, will help attendees
understand and navigate the current, complex policy environment.
Moderator:
• Randy Rutta, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
Speakers:
• Michaeleen Crowell, Principal, S-3 Group
• Marty Reiser, Principal, S-3 Group
12:50 – 1:40 p.m. Networking Lunch
1:40 – 2:25 p.m. Utilization Management’s Effect on Patients and Providers
Utilization management has been identified as a top issue affecting access for patients. This presentation will help
attendees better understand how utilization management affects patients and potential policy solutions.
Moderator:
• Eric Gascho, SVP, Policy and Government Affairs, National Health Council
Presenters:
• Anna Hyde, Vice President of Advocacy and Access, Arthritis Foundation
• Emily Carroll, Senior Attorney, American Medical Association
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. Best Practices for Cutting through the Capitol Hill Noise in 2023 and Beyond
This session will help attendees understand how advocates can best get their messages across in the
current Congress. The discussion will feature staff from the patient advocacy community who
recently worked on the Hill. The panel will share their unique perspectives on how a staffer’s job changed during
and after the pandemic and it impacts the relationship between patient advocates and Congressional staff.
Moderator:
• Jennifer Dexter, VP, Policy, National Health Council
Panelists:
• Natasha A. Silva, Sr. Director of Federal Government Relations, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Nishith Pandya, Director, Federal Relations, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 – 4:15 p.m. The Latest from CMMI
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is an important partner in shaping the future of health
care for patients. In this session, attendees will hear about CMMI’s current priorities. CMMI is focusing on for the
2024 calendar year. The session will also focus on how the patient advocacy community can partner with CMMI on
issues such as value-based care.
Moderator:
• Shion Chang, Director, Policy, National Health Council
Speaker:
• Eliot Fishman, Director, Policy and Programs Group, Center
for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
4:20 – 5:00 p.m. Show and Tell
During this session, attendees will have the opportunity to sign up to make a 3-minute presentation on
their organizational challenges or successes. More information and guidelines are forthcoming.
Facilitators:
• Sarah Buchanan, Director of Federal Government Relations & Health Policy, National Psoriasis Foundation
• Jelani Murrain, Director, Federal Relations – Access to Care, ACS-CAN
5:00 p.m. Adjourn for Evening Activities
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Networking Reception
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Dinner
Friday, November 17
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration Open
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Networking Breakfast
9:00 – 9:40 a.m. Reflections on Day One, Overview of Day 2, NHC 2024 Policy Matrix
This session is the annual review of the NHC accomplishments from 2023 and a look ahead at NHC priorities for
2024. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions, provide input, and help shape the 2024 Policy Matrix.
Remarks by:
• Eric Gascho, SVP, Policy and Government Affairs, National Health Council
9:45 – 10:30 a.m. Empowering Advocates to Tell Their Story Effectively
Having advocates tell their personal stories to legislators and other decision-makers can lead to great success.
However, training them to do it powerfully, succinctly, and effectively can be a challenge. This session will help
attendees learn how to work with advocates to be the most effective storytellers possible.
Moderator:
• Jennifer Dexter, VP, Policy, National Health Council
Speakers:
• Kristen Bernfield, Partner, Change for Balance
• Sally George, Communications Strategist, Change for Balance
10:30 – 10:40 a.m. Break
10:40 – 11:10 a.m. Breakout Table Discussion
This session is the opportunity to have small group discussions about issues of importance to attendees. Guided
questions will help drive conversation focused on engaging grassroots.
11:10 – 11:20 a.m. Reporting Out of Table Discussions
Each group will provide an overview of their discussion.
11:20 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Building a Robust and Diverse Health Care Workforce
Congress and the Administration are both focused on policy solutions to address health care workforce shortages
and other issues. This session will help attendees understand the crisis, its impact on patients, and what solutions
are currently being proposed.
Moderator:
• Eric Gascho, SVP, Policy and Government Affairs, National Health Council
Speakers:
• Gabriel Escontrías, Jr., Ed.D., Managing Director, Division of Diversity and Health Equity, American Psychiatric
Association
• Tim Nanof, Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs, American Nurses Association
• Amanda Wiegrefe, MScHSRA, Director, Regulatory Affairs, American College of Rheumatology
12:10 – 12:55 p.m. Closing Keynote
This exciting session will provide attendees with the latest insight on the inner workings of Congress
from one of the leading journalistic insiders.
Moderator:
• Jennifer Schleman, SVP, Communications & Governance, National Health Council
Speaker:
• Anna Palmer, Founder and CEO, Punchbowl News
1:00 – 1:15 p.m. Concluding Remarks
1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Networking Lunch
(To-Go Boxed Lunches Available)