Idaho is on the cusp of significant change in its health care system.
From government reform to market activity, the 2026 Idaho Health Policy Commons will tee up some of the most important topics in Idaho health care and health policy.
Our Convening Panel is a group of leaders from across the Idaho health care landscape.
They met in early September to develop our Topical Agenda, a set of discussions and sessions that tee up the most pressing topics in Idaho health care today.
We’re now recruiting speakers from across the spectrum of care. Expect more than 50 senior health care executives and health policy leaders as speakers on the agenda.
Each breakout session will be 45 minutes — 30 minutes for the panelists, and then 15 minutes for active discussions with the audience.
Because the experts are in the room, both on the panels and in the audience. So, a meaningful conversation will hear from a range of perspectives, both in the session and outside in the hallways where some of the real work takes place.
So, get registered to be with us, and come ready to to engage with other Idahoans at work to move the health system forward!
With more than 50 speakers teed up across 17 breakouts and 3 keynote sessions, Health Policy Commons hosts one of the largest lineup of speakers across one of the most diverse agendas in Idaho health policy.
Co-Founder of Health Policy Commons DJ Wilson will offer opening remarks to set the stage for the day’s discussions and sessions.
With the election behind us, Gov. Little’s administration is preparing for a new session and new leadership at the state’s largest department. This session will offer a vision for the future of Idaho from the view of the Governor’s office and administration.
With significant new money flowing into rural health care, measuring the outcomes and tracking progress is important. This panel will discuss the progress on rural transformation, from federal dollars to local innovation.
From managed care to admin simplification, there are a number of conversations taking place between plans and providers. This session will share some of those, and underscore where the most innovating partnerships are focused.
As today’s health care system has expanded to intersect with social services, this has highlighted the challenges in supporting care across the safety net. This session will discuss those efforts, from housing to food security, and draw lessons for the health of our communities.
Often, it’s the folks in the hallways of the capitol, working with policy makers and interfacing with market leaders, who know where health policy is heading. These advocates will discuss policy making in 2027 and the implications for the market.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is the most important federal health legislation since the passage of the ACA. It’s fundamentally shifting Medicaid financing and changing the landscape of Idaho’s safety net. These leaders discuss how they are responding to the bill and the consequences to come.
One of Idaho’s most successful managed care markets is the dual eligible population of low income seniors. This panel will discuss the challenge of supporting and caring for Idaho’s aging community, and the lessons from managed care in this line of business.
Idaho’s fiscal situation benefits from tight budgeting practices by both the governor and legislature. Does that mean 2027 will be a year of tax cuts or of targeted investments? This session will talk through the opportunities ahead in the 2027 legislative session.
This panel will provide two case studies of other rural states and their efforts to reform their health care systems. Nevada and Kansas will be teed up by two of their state’s leaders who know their programs best.
The legislature directed a move to managed care for the Medicaid system in 2025 by passing HB 345. How has the market responded and prepared for this move? This session will talk through the progress made in preparation to make Idaho the 42nd state to move to Medicaid managed care.
Perhaps it’s time to think differently about how to generate the workforce to support the health of our community. This panel of experts will discuss innovative ideas to build workforce capacity that can meet the demands of a diverse range of health needs — in the short run rather than the distant future.
With the push-and-pull of the session ahead, where is the proper balance of government funding, regulation, and engagement in Idaho’s health care sector? Three of the state’s most important voices will explore the tradeoffs.
These legislators will talk through policy questions, bills and confirmations that will roll through the Committees on Health and Welfare in 2027. Bring your questions to what will be a popular session.
This session will talk about the realities of today’s health care ecosystem, where one entity’s cost is another’s revenue. From consumers to managed care, from policy to the market, this session will discuss the challenges of affordability.
Primary care is facing significant pressure. This is generating momentum in policy discussions which may catalyze change ahead. This group of experts will connect dots across policy, care delivery and financing.
There is a lot of talk about AI in health care. So, how is it being deployed? And how effective is that in terms of either cost, quality or access? This session will talk through what’s taking shape, what appears to be working, and what we can learn from it.
There will be some new faces representing Idahoans in the capitol starting in January. Come get to know some of those new faces, and introduce yourself to some of Idaho’s newest elected representatives of the people.
Areas of interest for both policy makers and market leaders are in focus on this panel where private and public sector solutions will be teed up. Plan for an active discussion with the audience on a topic that sits at the heart of managing care and costs.
The behavioral health sector has made multiple strides to improve over recent years. From payer to provider, urban to rural, this panel will review what has worked in behavioral health reform, and where gaps still exist.
Juliet Charron has been at the Department of Health and Welfare since 2021 where she first served as Medicaid Director. She was appointed to lead the department a year ago, and recently announced her departure. This interview will serve as an “Exit Interview” with one of Idaho’s most important health care leaders.
Our Topical Agenda is the product of input from dozens of contributors to Idaho’s health care ecosystem.
From this feedback and guidance, we have continued to iterate and build an agenda we hope reflects many of the most important conversations taking place in state policy and market circles.
Want to be a speaker? Drop us a note. Now’s the time to have a conversation about it!
Welcome and
Introduction to The Commons
Morning Keynote: The Administration’s View of 2027
Making investments in rural health transformation
The evolving nature of plan-provider relations
Health care, social determinants and community supports
Capitol Insiders look to the 2027 session
Implementing HR 1 in Idaho
Lessons from managing the dual eligible population
Shaping the 2027 state budget
Innovations from outside of Idaho
The future of Medicaid managed care
Near-term strategies for workforce development
Lunch Keynote: What is the proper role of government in Idaho health care?
Health and Welfare policy making in the 2027 session
An honest conversation about costs
The future of primary care
How AI will impact Idaho health care
Meet some of Idaho’s new legislators
Modernizing prior auth and utilization management
Getting our hands around behavioral health
Afternoon Keynote: An Exit Interview with Juliet Charron
Our Convening Panel is a group of smart, thoughtful health care and policy leaders from across the spectrum of care in Idaho.
They help shape the Topical Agenda, help to identify speakers, and keep our conference grounded in the most pressing, practical matters facing Idaho health care today.
Expect this list to continue to grow to about 15-20 of Idaho’s most well connected health care and health policy leaders.
If you’re interested in joining our Convening Panel, reach out and let us know!
| Name | Title | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Adrean Cavener | Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs | Regence BlueShield of Idaho |
| Corey Surber | Regional Vice President of Advocacy & Community Health | Trinity Health |
| David Welsh | Executive Director | Magellan Health |
| Dustin Hardison | Senior Director, Business Development | CareSource |
| Jennifer Adams, PharmD | Professor, Associate Dean for Academic Programs | Idaho State University College of Pharmacy and Health Professions |
| Jennifer Pike | Director of Business Development & Government Relations | Delta Dental of Idaho |
| Jesse Arnoldson | Executive Director | Community Care of Idaho |
| Sen. Julie VanOrden | Chair | Senate Health and Welfare Committee |
| Juliet Charon | Director | Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare |
| Ken Hart | CEO | Valley Family Health Care |
| Kyle Rooks | CEO | Idaho Community Health Center Association |
| Lindsay Likes | Director of Government Affairs, Engagement & Partnerships | Idaho Health Care Association |
| Luke Malek | Partner | Malek and Malek |
| Norm Varin | Director, Government Relations | PacificSource Health Plans |
| Tom Reinhardt | CEO | Cascade Medical Center |
We would love to have you with us for the 2026 Idaho Health Policy Commons!
All registrants get 1-year of access to our content and conversations for free — a value of $120 per year.
Reserve your seat below. If you have any issues, just drop us a note.
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