Featured Sessions:
Launched in Spring 2025, the Safe AI in Medicaid Alliance (SAMA) is a collaborative initiative uniting states, industry partners, and policy leaders to co-create the frameworks and resources needed for confident AI adoption.
This session will share SAMA’s early progress and invite others to help shape its next phase, alongside insights from nationally respected experts with deep experience in Medicaid policy and federal trends.
- Panel Includes:
- Michael Barabe | Deputy Chief Information Officer, Medicaid Services, Washington Health Care Authority
- Anthony Flot | Chief Information Officer, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
- Betsy Baker | Medicaid and Integrated Eligibility Leader, Amazon Web Services
- Aneesh Chopra | Chief Strategy Officer, Arcadia
- Additional Speakers:
- Julie Boughn | Principal, JBoughn Consulting
- Verlon Johnson | Chief Strategy Officer, Acentra Health
- Jessica Kahn | Partner, McKinsey & Company
- Sean Harrison | Chief Artificial Intelligence & Analytics Officer, Acentra Health
- Michael Worthington | Vice President, Artificial Intelligence & Analytics, Acentra Health
- Daniel Hallenbeck | Vice President, Strategy & Strategic Partnerships
From Spreadsheets to Oversight: How West Virginia Modernized Incident Tracking to Improve Safety for Those at Risk | Wednesday, August 13, 1:30 – 2:20 PM CT
Learn how West Virginia transitioned from manual processes to a comprehensive incident tracking system, enhancing safety and compliance for vulnerable populations.
- Speakers:
- Cynthia Beane | Commissioner, West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services
- Brandon Lewis | Director, Office of Enterprise Systems, West Virginia Department of Health & Human Services
- Wesley Anderson| Director of Employment and Community Services, NASDDDS
- Verlon Johnson | Chief Strategy Officer, Acentra Health
- Emily Proctor | Clinical Director, Acentra Health
Re-Use in Action: How Washington Leveraged Modular Systems to Strengthen Program Integrity | Wednesday, August 13, 3:00 – 3:50 PM CT
Explore Washington's innovative approach to modular system reuse, enhancing program integrity and achieving efficiencies through strategic technology deployment. In this session, you’ll learn about key implementation insights—from policy design and provider enrollment to system configuration and eligibility alignment. Presenters will also spotlight how internal buy-in and collaborative problem-solving were critical to success.
- Presenters:
- Michael Barabe | Deputy Chief Information Officer, Medicaid Services, Washington Health Care Authority
- Ronna Cole | Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Services, Washington Department of Corrections
- Verlon Johnson | Chief Strategy Officer, Acentra Health
- Heidi Robbins Brown | Vice President of Medicaid Policy & Programs, Acentra Health
Discover how Arizona leveraged advanced analytics to proactively identify and prevent provider fraud, ensuring program integrity and safeguarding resources.
- Moderated by:
- Verlon Johnson | Chief Strategy Officer, Acentra Health
- Speakers:
- Kristen Challacombe | Deputy Director, Business Operations, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
- Nilay Patel | Senior Vice President, Medicaid Enterprise Systems (MES), Acentra Health
- Deepika Sud | Manager, Market Planning, LexisNexis