LEADERSHIP FORUM: Spring 2025
Event Date: 3/25/2025 - 3/28/2025
Event Overview
3/25/2025 - 3/28/2025
Irving, Texas
Participation is limited to Health Plan Alliance members and invited guests
The 2025 Spring Leadership Forum builds on the momentum of last year's gatherings, diving even deeper into the strategic imperatives shaping our industry. In 2024, we examined the evolving market dynamics and the forces reshaping healthcare. This Spring, we will gather in Los Collinas to explore the next frontier—what does it take to thrive in a landscape defined by innovation, consolidation, and policy shifts? From advancing AI initiatives and reimagining provider-sponsored models to fostering resilient organizations and navigating post-election impacts, this forum delivers the critical insights and strategies leaders need to execute boldly and succeed in 2025 and beyond.
Who Should Attend
Chief Executive Officers, Chief Medical Officer/Medical Directors, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, C-Level leaders responsible for strategic planning, innovation, and organizational execution won't want to miss this meeting.
Why Attend
- High-Impact Conversations: Gain insights from leading experts and peer executives on the most pressing issues facing health plans today.
- Future-Focused Strategies: Stay ahead of industry trends with actionable ideas on AI, policy shifts, and organizational health.
- Exclusive Networking Opportunities: Connect with a curated audience of health plan leaders to share experiences, challenges, and solutions.
- Strategic Inspiration: Return to your organization with fresh perspectives and tangible strategies to navigate 2025 and beyond.
- Included with Your Membership: While similar industry events cost thousands, this powerful networking opportunity is included in your membership—giving you unparalleled access to meaningful collaboration with regional, provider-sponsored, and independent health plan leaders.
Registration
ALLIANCE MEMBER | |||
Fee End Date | Description | Amount | |
3/25/2025 | Exclusive to Alliance Partner or Shareholder organizations | MEMBER PASS | |
ALLIANCE GUEST | |||
Fee End Date | Description | Amount | |
3/25/2025 | Only for invited guests of the Alliance | GUEST PASS | |
PLATINUM SPONSOR | |||
Fee End Date | Description | Amount | |
3/25/2025 | Exclusively for Platinum sponsors | PLATINUM PASS | |
SPONSOR | |||
Fee End Date | Description | Amount | |
3/25/2025 | *Registration code required | SPONSOR PASS | |
SPEAKER | |||
Fee End Date | Description | Amount | |
3/25/2025 | Confirmed faculty members | FACULTY PASS |
Plan Your Trip

Location
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas
4150 N. MacArthur Blvd
Irving, TX 75038
972.717.0700
Hotel Room Block
Expires March 3, 2025
$329 plus taxes and fees ($20 resort fee)
This rate may be available up to three days before and after our meeting dates, subject to hotel availability. To reserve your room, call the hotel’s reservations department at 972-717-0700 and request the Health Plan Alliance (Vizient) rate, or book online.
Please reserve early, as rooms in the group block are limited and may sell out before the deadline. Reservations made after the deadline are not guaranteed the group rate, and the hotel may also be fully booked.
Las Colinas: The Ultimate Entertainment District
Explore the charm of Las Colinas, a visionary 12,000-acre master-planned urban hub and entertainment district that seamlessly combines picturesque residential areas, soaring towers, and top-notch dining and entertainment options. Boasting 56 small lakes, including the 87-acre Lake Carolyn, jogging trails, parks, museums, colleges, and cultural institutions, Las Colinas is a city within a city. In your free time you could catch a concert at Toyota Music Factory, watch a movie at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, throw axes at Stumpy's Hatchet House and visit some of Irving's best restaurants and entertainment spaces along both downtown Las Colinas and Water Street.
Las Colinas, just a short drive from downtown Dallas and Fort Worth, is easily accessible via the DART Orange Line, connecting the area to major points throughout the region.
Ground Transportation
Taxi from the Dallas/Ft Worth International airport (DFW) and Love Field airport (DAL) is approximately $25 one-way. UberX is $17-20.
Current Local Weather
Sponsors
Agenda
03/25/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | |
Reception: Tuesday |
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03/26/2025 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | |
Networking Breakfast |
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03/26/2025 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | |
Welcome & Strategic Insights Speaker(s):
Joe Lastinger, HPA President |
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03/26/2025 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM | |
Keynote: Post Election Analysis The recent election has set the stage for significant shifts in healthcare policy and regulation. This keynote panel, featuring industry leaders will offer a deep dive into what these changes mean for health plans, providers, and the broader healthcare ecosystem. With a focus on the potential impact of new legislation and political dynamics, this session will help you anticipate challenges and identify opportunities in the evolving landscape. Speaker(s):
CeCi Connolly, President and CEO
Alliance of Community Health Plans |
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03/26/2025 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM | |
Refill your cup and stretch |
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03/26/2025 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | |
State of Play: Insights on the Evolving Healthcare Landscape The healthcare industry is undergoing rapid transformation, with shifting dynamics among insurers, hospitals, and health systems. This session will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current landscape, grounded in data-driven insights, including a macro perspective from Barclays. From emerging market trends to evolving payer-provider relationships, this discussion will highlight the critical developments shaping the future of healthcare. Speaker(s): Steven Kim, Managing Director Michael Lementowski, Managing Director Barclays
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03/26/2025 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | |
Networking Lunch |
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03/26/2025 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM | |
Redefining the Future: Models for Provider-Sponsored Health Plans Provider-sponsored health plans are redefining the relationship between health systems and insurance models, creating innovative pathways for care delivery and financial sustainability. This session brings together leaders from HPA member organizations to share their experiences. Explore new ownership structures, department collaborations, and strategies that are setting the standard for success. This is a must-attend session for those looking to understand the evolving role of provider-sponsored plans in the healthcare landscape. |
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03/26/2025 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM | |
Inside ICHRA: Navigating the Mechanics of Individual Coverage HRAs Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) are reshaping the benefits landscape, offering employers a new way to provide health coverage. In this session, Mark Mixer will lead a practical discussion on the mechanics of ICHRAs, exploring their increasing adoption by major payers, key regulatory considerations, and implementation best practices. This session will also include an interactive discussion to answer attendee questions. Walk away with actionable strategies and a clear playbook for navigating this innovative benefits solution. Speaker: Mark Mixer, CEO Alliant Health Plans; HRASimple
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03/26/2025 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM | |
Time to refill your cup and stretch |
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03/26/2025 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM | |
Wellness Session: Fast Friends Close out the day with an energizing and interactive wellness session designed to foster connection and camaraderie. "Fast Friends" offers a unique opportunity to engage with peers in a meaningful way while unwinding from a content-rich agenda. Expect a fun and informal environment where building relationships is the focus. Facilitator: Shawna Dandridge, HPA Chief Program and Strategy Officer
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03/26/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | |
Dinner: Wednesday |
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03/27/2025 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | |
Networking Breakfast |
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03/27/2025 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | |
Welcome Back Speaker:
Joe Lastinger, HPA President |
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03/27/2025 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM | |
Keynote: Leading with Clarity in Times of Stress Join us for an inspiring keynote exploring what it takes to lead effectively under pressure. We will explore how history offers valuable lessons during times of crisis. By looking back at pivotal moments when industries faced existential challenges, this session highlights patterns of resilience, adaptation, and the surprising ways organizations emerged stronger. These insights will remind us that today’s obstacles are not unprecedented—and that there is much to learn from those who’ve navigated uncertainty before us. |
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03/27/2025 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM | |
Reimagining Employer Health Benefits: Innovative Plan Designs As healthcare costs continue to rise at unprecedented rates, employers are actively seeking new strategies to control spending while enhancing the member experience. By 2030, an estimated 12 million commercial members may shift to innovative health plan designs, creating significant opportunities—and challenges—for payers. Join us for an insightful discussion led by an industry expert who will break down the latest analysis on employer-driven innovation in health benefits. |
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03/27/2025 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM | |
Time to refill your cup and stretch |
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03/27/2025 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | |
Navigating ACA Risk Adjustment and Subsidy Shifts: Profitability, Policy, and Market Dynamics The ACA risk adjustment landscape has been anything but predictable. From enhanced subsidies in 2021-2022 to the Medicaid unwinding impact and the urban-rural market distortions, payers are facing mounting challenges in stabilizing risk pools and ensuring profitability. And with expanded subsidies potentially sunsetting, state regulators, payers, and providers must prepare for the financial ripple effects—including uncompensated care and premium shifts. Expect a data-driven conversation with tangible insights on risk modeling, and strategic approaches to managing ACA profitability in uncertain times. Speaker(s): Jeremy Kush, Principal and Consulting Actuary Alex Klassen, Consulting Actuary Milliman
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03/27/2025 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | |
Networking Lunch |
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03/27/2025 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | |
The System-Plan Partnership - Rethinking Scale and Profitability Conventional wisdom suggests scale is the key to success in healthcare, but is bigger always better? In this thought-provoking session, we will challenge the notion that additional covered lives automatically drive cost savings. Learn how innovative partnerships between systems and health plans are redefining profitability formulas and reshaping the strategic priorities of healthcare organizations. |
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03/27/2025 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | |
Wrap-Up and Adjourn |
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03/27/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | |
Dinner: Thursday |
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03/28/2025 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM | |
Networking Breakfast For those that have later flights, we will meet at the hotel restaurant for a come and go breakfast. |
Attendees
Below is a list of all delegates registered to date for this event
- Kiran Biring
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Pharmacy Officer at Western Health Advantage
- Brian Brown
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Vice President Sales and Marketing at Presbyterian Health Plan
- Jeff Butcher
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- SVP, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Quartz Health Solutions
- Dean Cannon
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Medical Director at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Jessica Dupont
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Vice President of Government Programs at Alliant Health Plans
- Jim George
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Director at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
- Ron Hirasaki
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- VP Product Management & Marketing Sales at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Brendan Hodges
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- President/CEO at HealthTeam Advantage
- Deanna Homer
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Operations Officer at HealthTeam Advantage
- Lori Johnston
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- EVP-President at Medical Mutual
- Joleen Katula
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Interim Compliance Officer at HealthTeam Advantage
- George Kitzmiller
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- COO at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Patrick Koltz
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Operations Officer at Prominence Health Plan
- Michael Lappin
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Legal & Strategy Officer at Network Health
- Alan Lederman
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Operating Officer at Community Health Plan of Washington
- Michele Lehuta
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Government Programs Director at Western Health Advantage
- Kevin Lewis
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Executive Officer at Community Health Options
- Stephanie Lobosco-Navarro
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- SVP, Strategic Initiatives at Capital District Physicians' Health Plan (CDPHP)
- Jonathan Lowe
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Director of Health Plan Sales and Account Management at Baylor Scott & White Health Plan
- Garry Maisel
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Executive Officer at Western Health Advantage
- Peter Marino
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- President and Chief Executive Officer at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
- Jaydeep Patel
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Medical Director at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Noel Rivas
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- System Director, Information Services at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Sandy Spitale
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Clinical Officer at Ochsner Health Plan
- Shannon Stansbury
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- CEO at CHRISTUS Health Plan
- Richard Swift
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- President and CEO at Health New England
- Mike Treash
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- SVP & COO at Health Alliance Plan (HAP)
- Jessica Vander Zanden
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- VP Operations at Network Health
- Trey White
- ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Chief Financial Officer at Alliant Health Plans
- Allison Ashcraft
- ALLIANCE STAFF
- Operations Specialist at Health Plan Alliance
- Keri Bloomer
- ALLIANCE STAFF
- Director of Operations at Health Plan Alliance
- Gordon Salm
- ALLIANCE STAFF
- Outside Board Member at Health Plan Alliance
- Brian Marsella
- SPONSOR
- President at PayMedix
Speakers
- Jeremy Kush
Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman
click here for full people profile
- Mark Mixer
Chief Executive Officer at Alliant Health Plans
click here for full people profile