Southwest Regional Meeting In-Person Agenda
November 5, 2026
8:00 am – 3:00 pm PT

Regional Meetings | Meeting Details | Agenda | Hotel | Meeting Location

Register Now

Time

Content

Speaker(s)

8:00 am –
8:30 am

Registration

8:30 am –
8:45 am

Welcome and Introduction

Emily Brower
NAACOS

8:45 am –
9:35 am

Advocacy Update: From Policy to Practice

As the CMS accountable care strategy moves into implementation, NAACOS is focused on helping members succeed in new and evolving programs and models. This session will provide an overview of key developments and early learnings, discuss how NAACOS is responding, and facilitate a conversation about members’ experiences and identify emerging challenges and opportunities.

Aisha Pittman
NAACOS

9:35 am –
9:45 am

Break

9:45 am –
10:30 am

Regional Payer Insights
Attendees will gain perspective on how payer partnerships and collaboration across the region help in driving value-based care.

Moderated by:
Alex Bardakh

CareConnectMD

George Fields
Molina Healthcare Inc.

Laura Fox

Blue California

10:30 am –
11:15 am

Utilization Trends
This session will review key utilization patterns that could include, areas of rising risk, avoidable use, and opportunities to improve performance. Discussion may focus on how data can inform care management, population health strategies, and operational decision-making.

Jennifer Brooks
Banner

Kynda Wolfrum

Banner

11:15 am –
11:25 am

Break

11:25 am –
12:10 pm

Model Selection and Regional Insights
Explore how organizations are approaching model selection and the strategic considerations shaping those decisions. Hear emerging regional trends and insights from data and modeling. The session will highlight opportunities to translate these insights into actionable regional perspectives.

Hunter Schouweiler
Wakley


Alex Kim

Wakely

Niki Daul

Wakely

Will Simson

CareConnectMD

Arett Zartarian

Rancho Health

12:10 pm –
1:15 pm

Networking Lunch

1:15 pm –
2:00 pm

The Family Caregiver as a Risk Variable: What ACOs Miss in Dementia Care
Most ACO risk models capture the patient and miss the person holding the care plan together at home. In dementia, caregiver strain drives avoidable utilization: ED visits, readmissions, earlier facility placement, and it shows up in total cost of care long before anyone codes it. This session makes the case for treating the family caregiver as a measurable risk variable, covers how caregiver assessment data can be collected and operationalized inside existing ACO workflows, and shares field findings on what moves utilization.

Genevieve Caruncho-Simpson
Dyad Health


Monique Parrish
LifeCourse Strategies 


Allison Kato
Kato Advisory

2:00 pm –
2:50 pm

Post-Acute Collaborations in Value-Based Care
This session will focus on the role of post-acute partners in improving transitions of care, reducing avoidable utilization, and supporting the patients journey through the care continuum. Discussion may include strategies for building stronger partnerships, aligning incentives, and improving communication across care settings.

Alex Bardakh

CareConnectMD

Erin O’Brien

CareConnectMD

2:50 pm –
3:00 pm

Closing Remarks

Melody Danko
NAACOS
Download a copy of the agenda