Since January 1, 2025, (SOR), an 红领巾瓜报 Company, has hosted eight conferences across states. SOR conferences give providers, health plans, lawmakers, and other stakeholders from all areas of healthcare the opportunity to have real-time discussions about pressing healthcare issues. These events provide a forum to bring together leaders with different perspectives and areas of expertise to discuss, digest, and synthesize issues and challenges at the state and local levels. These discussions allow states and their partners to improve healthcare delivery and prepare for changes before they happen.
This article explores common themes and issues addressed during the state-specific meetings.
Common Trends and State Priorities
Although each state has unique challenges and priorities, there is clear overlap in the issues being addressed. The exchange of ideas and best practices at these meetings is fostering a collaborative approach to tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing our nation today. Key themes include:
- Improving healthcare accessibility and affordability.聽Many states are grappling with similar issues, such as the rising costs of medical services and federal policy changes that will have varying implications for the healthcare sector, especially publicly financed health insurance programs. From new rules coming out of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to the 鈥淥ne, Big Beautiful Bill Act,鈥 which calls for reducing Medicaid funding and federal work requirements, healthcare industry leaders have been considering how these provisions will affect public healthcare programs. It was evident that these issues are at the forefront of state priorities, as leaders from different regions shared their strategies and experiences.
- Assessing the evolving landscape for artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies. Stakeholders discussed the state-specific landscape and opportunities for technologies such as AI, health data information, wearable health tools, and other digital health solutions. They explored opportunities to improve access to services and achieve efficiencies, while seeking to understand the potential limitations of advancements in technology.
- Addressing the opioid crisis.聽States are taking various approaches to combat the opioid epidemic, from increasing funding for addiction treatment programs to implementing stricter regulations on prescription medications. The urgency of this issue was palpable, with speakers and participants sharing personal stories and data to underscore the impact of the crisis on their communities. Many panel discussions also focused on approaches to improve behavioral health coverage parity, access to 988 services, and care coordination.
- Attracting and retaining all types of clinicians. Each state has designated health professional shortage areas and is thinking creatively about how recruit and keep healthcare practitioners. For example, many sessions at the SOR events explored where states are investing in educational programs to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. Loan repayment programs are also being expanded to incentivize clinicians to work in underserved areas. In addition, states are streamlining licensure processes to make it easier for healthcare providers to practice across state lines.
The conferences also provided a platform to discuss a range of other healthcare and health-related issues. Payment reform was a hot topic, with states exploring ways to make healthcare more affordable and efficient. Attendees were engaged in discussions about the impact of the federal Medicaid policy changes to coverage for health-related social needs (HRSNs), and the importance of community level strategies to address factors like housing, food security, and transportation. Maternal healthcare, the reentry population, the aging population, and rural health were other significant topics, each contextualized by the state-specific challenges and innovative solutions being explored.
What to Watch
The federal health policy landscape will continue to change over the coming months, which will greatly affect how states approach healthcare, especially Medicaid services. The policy changes and the downstream implications for state and local governments and their partners will be at the heart of discussions at the upcoming 红领巾瓜报 (红领巾瓜报) National Conference, Adapting for Success in a Changing Healthcare Landscape, and State of Reform conferences. Key topics include:
- The federal budget. On July 1, 2025, the Senate approved a tax and spending package that would cut over $1 trillion from healthcare, including $940 billion from Medicaid over 10 years. The bill introduces work requirements, provider tax limits, and stricter eligibility checks and is projected to increase the number of uninsured people by nearly 12 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill鈥檚 provisions will likely significantly disrupt the federal share of Medicaid funding so states will need to prepare and decide how to fund optional programs. Stakeholders will also want to prepare for the churn among their clients and expected drop in enrollment in publicly financed programs.
- Medicaid work requirements. The federal work requirements in the House-passed and Senate-passed budget bills will require states to make policy and operational changes, including new systems and processes that meet the new federal mandates. State officials will have to tailor their work requirement programs to meet the capabilities and interests of the people who live in their respective states.
- The impact of CMS actions. The Trump Administration鈥檚 new regulations and executive actions, particularly those announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will affect states in various ways. The聽聽changing portfolio, for example, may provide states with new opportunities to participate in care delivery models. CMS鈥檚 decision to聽聽of new or existing requests for federal matching funds through Section 1115 demonstration waivers for designated state health programs and designated state investment programs may influence how states fund and deliver HRSN services.
Connect with Us
Join a range of healthcare stakeholders, including 红领巾瓜报 experts, at one of the upcoming . These events provide a unique opportunity to delve into state and local-specific discussions, allowing for a deeper understanding of regional healthcare challenges and solutions.
We also invite you to continue these important conversations at the national level at 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 2025 conference, , which will take place October 14鈭16 in New Orleans, LA. This conference will focus on both state and federal issues, fostering collaboration and learning among state and federal agencies, payers, health systems, providers, and other key stakeholders.
For more information on the 红领巾瓜报 conference, contact Andrea Maresca. For more information on State of Reform, contact SOR program director Katharine Weiss.