Exposing the Drivers: Idaho's Healthcare Cost Reality

Join us for a critical examination of how certain provider practices are driving unsustainable health care cost increases and their cascading effects on Idaho families, employers, and communities. This timely event features nationally recognized expert Katie Martin from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI), who will discuss provider trends using tactics like Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) exploitation and 340B program manipulation, pushing cost trends far beyond national averages.

This discussion provides essential insights into the hidden mechanisms driving health care costs upward and their tangible consequences: families facing higher premiums and reduced coverage, employers struggling to offer competitive benefits, and communities experiencing diminished access to affordable care.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding how gaming inflates costs nationally and locally
• How these trends affect member access and community health care sustainability
• Actionable insights for stakeholders seeking to address health care affordability

5:30 PM: Doors Open / Dinner

6:00 – 6:05 PM: Regence Open

6:05 – 6:25 PM: Keynote Presentaition - Katie Martin, HCCI

6:25 – 6:45 PM: Fireside discussion

• Host: Adrean Cavener, Regence
• Guests: Katie Martin, HCCI; April Barber, Regence

6:45 PM: Fireside discussion

7:00 PM: End

• Dinner included
• RSVPs open until capacity
• Audience questions encouraged
• Valet parking available
• Street parking available

Katie Martin, CEO & President, Health Care Cost Institute

Martin has worked in health policy for more than 20 years, mostly at the intersection of research and policy. She has been the President and CEO of the Health Care Cost Institute since 2022 where she combines her expertise in research, policy, distilling complex information, and problem solving. Martin served nearly 15 years in the federal government at both the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

April Barber, VP Contracting and Network Operations

Barber joined Regence two years ago and serves as Vice President of Contracting and Network Operations where she leads strategic provider partnerships, network contracting, independent dispute resolution, and the development of initiatives that drive value for members and clients. With more than 27 years of progressive healthcare leadership experience, Barberhas established herself as a dynamic executive who consistently delivers results through strategic network development, encompassing innovative network configurations that balance access, quality, and affordability that foster sustainable provider partnerships, align incentives, and improve outcomes.