From Skepticism to Connection: How Community-Based Peer Support Improves Health Outcomes and Member Trust
2026-03-04 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
2:00 PM ET
Health plans and providers increasingly recognize that addressing social determinants of health requires more than referrals, it requires trust, relationships, and sustained community connection.
In this interactive webinar, join leaders from Highmark Health Options of West Virginia and Wider Circle as they share how peer-driven, community-based social support is transforming member engagement, improving quality outcomes, and strengthening retention—particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Drawing on real-world implementation and member stories, speakers will explore how Wider Circle’s Connect for Life®program integrates seamlessly into managed care operations while remaining flexible enough to meet members where they are—through phone-based outreach, in-person gatherings, community events, and peer-led support.
The conversation will also examine how this approach aligns with state and payer priorities, including Highmark’s focus on scalable, plug-and-play solutions that deliver measurable impact quickly.
What You’ll Learn
How trust drives outcomes: Why peer-led, community-based support outperforms referrals in engaging members and improving quality
A scalable model in action: How community support integrates seamlessly into managed care operations with measurable impact
Results that matter: How peer connection improves gap closure, retention, and member satisfaction—especially in rural and underserved populations
Presenters:
William Friedman, Vice President of Payer Engagement, Wider Circle
Jason Landers, Market President, Highmark Health Options, West Virginia
Jocelyn Williams, Community Engagement Specialist, Wider Circle
Crystal Belisky, Community Engagement Specialist, Highmark Health Options

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In the AI of the Storm: Practical Guidance for the Medicaid Expert
2026-03-18 14:00 - 15:00
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
2:00 PM ET
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than anything we’ve seen in the PBM industry – from technology capabilities to regulatory frameworks and the policies designed to govern them – creating both opportunity and risk. Aimed at providing both a strategic overview and a tactical look at how AI is being used in healthcare today, this session will also explore the future of AI within the regulated markets space – examining where systems can fail and why safeguards, transparency and human oversight matter. Join us to learn about emerging AI/ML-focused trends, Medicaid relevant frameworks and how responsible governance can support innovation while protecting trust, equity and accountability in an increasingly complex AI landscape.
Presenters:
Thomas Brascia
Director, Technology Growth and Intelligence
Evernorth Health Services
Ember Montunnas
Senior Director, Regulated Markets Business Development
Evernorth Health Services

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Navigating Medicaid Headwinds: Scaling Impact Through Whole Health AI
2026-03-25 14:00 - 15:00
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
2:00 PM ET
As Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) navigate new headwinds marked by significant federal funding cuts, administrative work requirements, and rising uncompensated care, the traditional episodic care model is no longer practicable. For populations facing complex chronic conditions and deep-seated social determinants of health (SDOH), overextended clinical teams need a smart digital solution that preserves member dignity while driving clinical efficiency.
Join digital health leader and CMS early adopter Welldoc for an in-depth discussion exploring how a whole-person AI platform acts as a “digital companion” to help MCOs operate efficiently under financial pressure while providing the continuous, dignified support necessary to improve health equity and clinical outcomes.
Learning objectives:

Scale Without Headcount: Analyze how AI ecosystems mitigate funding pressures by expanding clinical capacity through automated, intelligent workflows.
Foster Member Dignity: Discover how digital coaching empowers members and improves data accuracy by reducing the “chilling effect” of traditional clinical settings.
Close Care Gaps: Identify strategies for integrating multi-condition platforms to move the needle on HEDIS, quality ratings, and avoidable ER visits.

Presenters:
Keith Reynolds
Chief Operating Officer
Welldoc
Priya Jaisinghani, MD
Endocrinologist and Clinical Assistant Professor
NYU Langone

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Seeing What Data Hasn’t Shown Us Before: The Next Chapter of Specialized SDoH
2026-04-15 14:00 - 15:00
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
2:00 PM ET
As member needs grow more complex, traditional SDoH models no longer tell the full story. This webinar introduces a more expansive, data informed approach that helps health plans better assess risk, prioritize investments, and quantify the economic impact tied to social interventions. We will specifically focus on the value of specialized SDoH for maternity and NICU case management – where advocacy breaks down barriers and builds member trust. It’s a new lens on an old challenge – with tangible implications for your organization, your members, and the communities you serve.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
1. Differentiate traditional SDoH intervention approaches from specialized SDoH intervention models
Understand how generalized SDoH screening can overlook critical risk drivers—and how specialized advocacy models uncover deeper, actionable insights for high- risk Medicaid populations, particularly related to maternity and NICU populations.
2. Identify how advanced SDoH data improves risk stratification and investment prioritization
Learn how integrating social, life- based, and clinical context enables health plans to more accurately assess member risk, target interventions, and allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact.
3. Explain clinical and broad economic value of specialized SDoH interventions in maternity and NICU case management
Examine how trusted engagement, advocacy, and facilitation can reduce avoidable utilization, improve outcomes, and generate measurable return on investment for Medicaid programs.
Webinar Leaders

Janna Lacatell | Facilitator
Madeline Szabo, RN, BSN | Clinical Leader
Sara Teppema, FCA, MAAA, FSA | Actuarial & Data Science Leader

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Modernizing Medicaid Redetermination Engagement in the HR.1 Era
2026-05-20 13:00 - 14:00
With HR.1 introducing twice-annual redeterminations and work requirements, Medicaid plans face rising complexity, tighter timelines, and increased enrollment volatility. Yet the primary risk isn’t eligibility—it’s communication. During the unwinding period, nearly 71% of disenrollments were procedural, driven by missed notices, confusion, and administrative barriers.
In this session, experts from Santa Clara Family Health Plan and Ushur share how Medicaid plans are reducing preventable, procedural disenrollment through proactive, digital-first engagement.
Learn how health plans are:

Engaging hard-to-reach members earlier and more effectively throughout the redetermination process
Guiding action with simplified, timely two-way digital communication
Scaling outreach with automation while maintaining compliance
Reducing missed deadlines through proactive outbound and inbound support
Amplifying member outreach within procedural disenrollment grace period

Speaker:
Chelsea Byom, Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Outreach at Santa Clara Family Health Plan
Simha Sadasiva, CEO & Co-Founder, Ushur

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Preventable Medicaid Member Loss: How Plans Can Protect Revenue in the New HR1 Eligibility Era Through Memeber Engagement
2026-06-10 14:00 - 15:00
Medicaid health plans are facing a critical challenge in keeping their members enrolled in the face of new requirements that are set to take effect on January 1, 2027. Join us for a panel discussion on best practices in Medicaid member engagement to enhance your retention strategy. Panelists will discuss the three essential elements of member outreach and engagement – member data analysis, contact center workforce, and effective connection strategies.
Presenters:
• Jerry Vitti, Founder and CEO, Healthcare Financial Inc.
• Suranjan Shome, CEO, Epiphany Management Group
• Jim Talley, President and COO, Epiphany Management Group
• Joe Moser, Moderator, Former Indiana Medicaid Director

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From Listening to Action: Meeting CMS's New Community Engagement Expectations
2026-06-24 14:00 - 15:00
*This webinar is exclusively for MHPA health plan members, state affiliates, and partners. Webinar attendees must register using their organization email. With the publication of CMS’s interim final rule on Medicaid community engagement requirements, states now have until January 1, 2027 to implement new provisions for enrollees.
Join MHPA for an in-depth webinar detailing key information from the rule, including populations affected, the documentation and verification framework, short-term hardship exemptions, and how Medicaid managed care plans can support enrollees and states.

Speakers:
Shannon Attanasio, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Policy, and Advocacy
MHPA Nicolas Wilhelm, Esq., Director, Regulatory Affairs, MHPA

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