Resource Center Events

2006 Washington Health Legislative Conference

Welcome to the 21st annual Washington Health Legislative Conference: "Getting From Here to There: Alternative Strategies for a Healthy Future."

This year we will examine alternative strategies for better health and health care systems. We start with an overview of the continuing evolution of health care financing, led by keynote speaker Reed Tuckson, MD, FACP. Dr. Tuckson is Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth Group. The morning plenary will continue with a presentation on the Blue Sky initiative, a multi-state collaboration to improve health by transforming health care reform.

We have brought back the morning interactive discussion sessions, based on positive feedback last year. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss key questions related to the morning plenary in small groups.

Following lunch, Christina Hulet will present Governor Christine Gregoire's health care agenda and progress toward her health policy goals. Greg Vigdor of the Washington Health Foundation will also give an update on the state of Washington's health, based on a new Report Card format.

The afternoon break-out sessions are designed to explore current and future means of improving health. Examples include:

• The Dartmouth Atlas Group research and how it applies to Washington State,
• The collaborative work of the Puget Sound Health Alliance to improve value in health care,
• The future of mental health care: where will we be in five years?,
• Potential application of the Blue Sky initiative to the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform,
• Examples of local employers promoting health at work and at play, and
• The opportunities and difficulties in trying to align reimbursement with evidence-based medicine

Please see the full agenda for more details.

We are pleased to have hosted the 21st annual Washington Health Legislative Conference. Many thanks to our sponsors and the hundreds of attendees who make the conference possible.