AHIP conference to spotlight future of health coverage

Anthem CEO Joe Swedish

Navigating the uncertainty of politics and policy is a theme that bookends this year's AHIP Institute & Expo, as Anthem CEO Joe Swedish kicks off the conference on the topic of reinventing healthcare for the future and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and CNN senior political analyst David Gergen close it out by taking on leadership lessons for uncertain times.

Swedish is board chairman this year for America's Health Insurance Plans, the sponsor of the annual AHIP Institute & Expo.

[Also: Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish to address future of healthcare at AHIP]

"He'll lay out the case of how health plans are not only part of the solution, but are really leading the improvements of tomorrow," said David Merritt, executive vice president of Public Affairs and Strategic Initiatives for AHIP. "A few of the things he'll touch on are what Anthem and health plans are doing on innovation, working with partners to deliver new solutions, and improving the customer experience. Anthem has tried to invest in making the customer experience much more simple and straightforward."

Pulitzer Prize winner Doris Kearns Goodwin and CNN senior political analyst David Gergen will offer their perspectives on the changing political landscape for the closing session on Friday, June 9.

"Hearing their perspectives I think will be fascinating," Merritt said. "We know from an industry standpoint, what's needed from a policy standpoint to improve the market."

In between, healthcare policy expert Michael Chernew will speak on the framework for payment reform and benefit design, Patrick Conway of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will assess the progress being made in alternative payment models, and CEOs Eric Schultz of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and David Ricks of Eli Lilly will tackle the affordability of prescription drugs. Schultz also serves on the AHIP board.

"This will explore how plans and pharmaceutical companies can work together to lower costs," Merritt said.

More than 3,000 people are expected to attend the annual AHIP Institute & Expo being held this year June 7 to 9 in Austin, Texas.

[Also: AHIP chief Marilyn Tavenner is looking to the future of health insurance]

Those attending can also expect a session on the battle for the heart and mind of the healthcare consumer from John Mackey, cofounder and CEO of Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods is based in Austin and its business model can be applied to what health insurers are accomplishing in consumer-oriented healthcare, according to Merritt.

"Good companies try to learn from other industries," Merritt said. "Whole Foods puts a high premium on the health of their customers. I know there's a lot of common ground with what health plans are trying to do."

By June, insurers should know more about the policy issues that will affect them. There's the GOP plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the question of federal funding for cost-sharing reduction payments and the health insurance tax. 

[Also: AHIP, AHA, others urge Senate to take action on CSR funding]

"The policy landscape is far different than the past," Merritt said. "The focus on health reform has the feel of 2009 rather than 2016 because it's a different landscape than what we had in the past."

Insurers are looking for short-term stability and long-term improvement as they price their plans for 2018. The federal deadline to submit premium rates for the ACA marketplace is June 21, while some state filings were due earlier.

"Where the biggest uncertainty lies is around short-term stability and individual exchanges," Merritt said. "We are talking with policy makers every single day, educating them on what we think is needed to stabilize the market. CSRs are the most pressing priority. By the time June comes around, if we're still talking about CSRs, we will definitely have a problem in the individual market next year."

But trends go beyond policy discussions, on session themes on integration, wellness and addressing chronic conditions, Merritt said.

"A lot of our plans are looking for innovations to help them improve interactions with customers," he said. "There are too few relationships around performance-based contracting."

For consumers, affordability is a top issue.

"Improving quality can lower costs, be more efficient," Merritt said.  "Those have been priorities for a long time. The institute can talk about those improvements and what other plans are doing to make healthcare more affordable and have more quality."

There are tracks that take a deeper dive into technology, data, and the knowledge that the data delivers.

Beyond the sessions is the trade show where hundreds of vendors, or solution partners, who work with health plans every day will be in the exhibit hall.

Networking events are held there in the mornings over coffee and in the evenings through receptions that include the local music for which Austin is famous.

"We try to bring a local feel, so Austin is known for country music and barbecue," Merritt said. "There will be ample opportunities to enjoy both."

>Twitter: @SusanJMorse