Medicare Congress: Overview

Overview

The Issue

Within a year of launching the most significant change to the Medicare program since its inception, about 90 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are receiving drug coverage. However, important questions remain about the program's affordability, structure, and long-term impact. At the same time, the Medicare program faces other significant fiscal and operational challenges. New initiatives that focus on coordinating care, measuring quality, increasing transparency, and paying for performance continue to gain traction within industry and government, and may serve as models for future changes.

Key questions include:

What are the key factors influencing beneficiaries' experience and satisfaction with the new drug benefit?
What will 2007 formularies look like?
How is the Medicare drug plan marketplace developing relative to PDP and MA-PD plans?
How will efforts to enroll low income subsidy-eligible beneficiaries be recalibrated?
How will the success of the prescription drug benefit be measured?
How will healthcare issues affect mid-term elections?
How will changes in skilled nursing facility and hospital payments impacting future healthcare trends and businesses?
What developments in pricing transparency reform are likely to be most influential?
How will the adoption of health information technology be used to improve healthcare quality in Medicare?
How will Medicare wield its purchasing power to encourage paying for value?
As the baby boomers begin to become eligible for Medicare, what trends will emerge in Medicare fee-for-service?
What direction may medication therapy management programs go in 2007-2008?
What role do state Medicaid programs play in shaping future changes to the drug benefit?

The Third Medicare Congress will examine these issues in a three-day interactive forum. Presented by leaders for leaders, the nationally-known faculty will discuss critical business, legislative, and regulatory aspects of the Medicare program with a focus on future trends and their strategic implications for the health care system.

Congress Goals and Objectives:

Analyze Implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

Evaluate Beneficiary Experience in the Drug Benefit

Assess Future Opportunities for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, PBMs, Health Plans, and Providers in Shaping Medicare Policy

Analyze Medicaid's Changing Role as a Customer

Discuss Pricing Transparency Initiatives and Their Potential Impact

Discuss the Drug Benefit's Implications for Financial Markets

Evaluate Technology's Role in Improving Quality and Access

Discuss the Outlook for Future Legislation Affecting Medicare

Understand Medicare's Broader Context Beyond Part D

Analyze Critical Product Reimbursement Trends and Issues

Analyze Policy and Business Shifts in the Long-Term Care Arena

Evaluate New Care Coordination and Quality Efforts in Medicare

Understand How Medicare Issues May Impact National Politics

Who Should Attend:

Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, PBM and Pharmacy Executives and Board Members

Health Plan, Health System and Physician Organization Executives and Board Members

Medical Directors

Physicians

Pharmacists

Purchasers, including Private Employers and Public Purchasers

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Directors of Clinical Research Organizations

Directors of Pharmacy Benefit Management Companies

Directors of Wholesale, Retail, Mail Order and Internet Pharmacies

Directors of Health Plans and Health Insurers

Health Care Attorneys and In-house Counsel

Health Care Compliance Officers

Health Care Privacy Officers

Health Care Ethics Officers

Food and Drug Law Attorneys

Health Care Auditors

Health Care Actuaries

Health Care Regulators and Policy Makers

Health Services Researchers and Academics

Directors of Government Programs

Directors of Medicare Programs

Directors of Regulatory Affairs

Directors of Medicare Marketing

Directors of Medicare Quality

Directors of Medicare Compliance

Directors of Finance and Reimbursement

Pharmaceutical Consultants

Institutional Investors

Investment Bankers

Venture Capitalists

Directors of Managed Markets

Hospital Executives

Managed Care Plan Executives

Patient and Advocacy Groups