CMS Administrator Leads NAHU Members On Roadmap To Reform

By Susan Rupe

Seema Verma, administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will be one of the keynote speakers as the National Association of Health Underwriters gathers in Washington for their annual Capitol Conference Monday and Tuesday.

“Roadmap to Reform” is the theme of this year’s conference, which also includes member visits with their senators and representatives on Capitol Hill.

More than 700 members are expected to attend the conference.

As CMS Administrator, Verma oversees a $1 trillion budget (representing 26% of the total federal budget) and administers health coverage programs for more than 130 million Americans.

Also speaking during the Monday morning session will be Nick Buettner, the vice president of product for the Blue Zones Project, a community-wide well-being initiative that positively impacts the health of more than 5 million people across the country.

Buettner is responsible for taking the Blue Zones longevity lessons to 50 communities across the United States. He will share his stories about his conversations with people who have maintained healthy lives even as they have reached the 100-year mark.

The conference also will include a speech by Den Bishop, author of The Voter’s Guide to Healthcare: A non-partisan, candid, and relevant look at politics and healthcare in America and The Book on Healthcare Reform.

Monday’s conference also will include breakout sessions on Transparency and Cost Containment, Controlling Prescription Drug Costs, and Medicare.

Tuesday morning’s session will feature a number of elected representatives. In addition, Dr. Mark Bittle of Johns Hopkins University and Scott Wham of Kistler Tiffany Benefits will speak on “Population Health Management and its Effect on the Health Insurance Market.”

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @INNsusan.

Susan Rupe is editor in chief, magazine, for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected].