Events

On Monday, May 4, 2026, Georgetown’s Medicare Policy Initiative in collaboration with Arnold Ventures hosted a briefing, “Leveling the Playing Field in Medicare Advantage: The Role of Smaller Plans in a Changing Market.”  

Speakers included:  

• Alec Aramanda, Principal Deputy Director, Center for Medicare, CMS 

• Matt Eyles, Executive Vice President, Government & Business Strategy, Alignment Health 

• Carrie Graham, PhD, Director, Medicare Policy Initiative (Moderator) 

• Zack Myers, Corporate Vice President & General Manager, SCAN Health Plan 

• Rachel Schmidt, PhD, Research Professor, Medicare Policy Initiative 

Access slides from the briefing here. 

On January 14, 2026, Georgetown’s Medicare Policy Initiative in collaboration with Arnold Ventures hosted a webinar, “How Medicare Beneficiaries Choose Plans — And What the CY 2027 Medicare Advantage Proposed Rule Might Change.”  

Speakers included: 

• William Cielo, MA enrollee and member of the MPI MA Advisory Group  

• Carrie Graham, Director of the Medicare Policy Initiative (Moderator)  

• Jack Hoadley, SHIP Counselor and Research Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University 

• Laura Skopec, Health Policy Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute  

Access slides from the webinar here. 

On October 27, 2025, Georgetown’s Medicare Policy Initiative hosted a briefing titled Medicare Advantage Policies on the Horizon at the McCourt School of Public Policy in Washington, D.C.

Speakers included:

• Ciannah Correa, MPH, Research Fellow, Medicare Policy Initiative
• Carrie Graham, PhD, Research Professor and Executive Director, Medicare Policy Initiative (Moderator)
• David Meyers, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health
• Neil Patil, MPP, Senior Research Fellow and Policy Director, Medicare Policy Initiative
• Jackson Thein, MPH, Director, Waxman Strategies
• Namrata Uberoi, PhD, Director, Health Policy, West Health

Access slides from the event here.

On September 18, 2025, Georgetown’s Medicare Policy Initiative hosted a briefing titled What’s Next for Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C.  

Speakers included: 

• Rodrigo Cerdá, M.D., MPH, Senior Vice President, Health Services, and Chief Medical Officer, Independence Blue Cross 

• Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, PhD, Associate Director, Program on Medicare Policy, KFF 

• Carrie Graham, PhD, MGS, Research Professor and Executive Director, Medicare Policy Initiative (Moderator) 

• Neil Patil, MPP, Senior Research Fellow and Policy Director, Medicare Policy Initiative 

• Namrata Uberoi, PhD, MPH, Director, Health Policy, West Health 

View the slides from the event here. 

On May 2, 2025, The Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) Medicare Policy Initiative and The Brown University Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research (CAHPR) hosted a virtual briefing exploring the complexities of Medicare Advantage (MA) payment issues and strategies to curb overpayments. As MA enrollment grows, policymakers are weighing how to manage costs while ensuring access and quality. Legislative and regulatory strategies to address overpayments in MA are a key focus, with ongoing discussions on how to balance program incentives, control federal spending, and ensure equitable care for beneficiaries.

Featured speakers included:
• Andrew Ryan, PhD, Director, CAHPR
• Carrie Graham, PhD, Research Professor and Executive Director of the Medicare Policy Initiative, CHIR
• David Meyers, PhD, MPH, Associate Director, CAHPR
• Neil Patil, MPP, Senior Research Fellow and Policy Director of the Medicare Policy Initiative, CHIR
• Rachel Schmidt, PhD, Research Professor, CHIR
• Hayden Rooke-Ley, Health Law and Policy Fellow, Brown University School of Public Health

Watch the full recording here.

At this February 4, 2025 event, policy experts discussed the use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans and its impact on care and costs. Speakers included:

• Molly Turco, CMS (Former)
• Carrie Graham, PhD, Georgetown CHIR’s Medicare Policy Initiative
• Edward Hu, MD, UNC Health
• Fred Riccardi, Medicare Rights Center

Watch the full recording here.