NASDDDS
NATIONAL POLICY FORUM
May 12 & 13, 2009

The Liaison Capitol Hill
415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202.638.1616 l Fax: 202.638.0707

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Learn About New and Impending Federal Policy Initiatives

Interact with federal officials and legislative staff:

New Administration, New Leadership - The Obama Administration is in the process of appointing new leadership for the Federal Agencies most important to state DD agencies. NASDDDS will invite officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), disability policy-makers from the White House, and others to discuss the new disability policy landscape in the new administration.

Health Care Reform - Senate Democrats, led by Edward Kennedy, have begun a bipartisan debate on reforming the US health care system that promises to have a real impact. The White House has joined the initiative with a health care summit and a signal that President Obama intends to work closely with Congress to ensure the success of this legislative priority. But what will health care reform look like? And what role will long term care reform play? NASDDDS will invite congressional staff and other policy stakeholders to discuss the shape of reforms to come.

Tentative Forum Agenda

Tuesday	May 12, 2009
8:30 AM	Registration and Coffee
9:00 AM	WELCOME: Nancy Thaler, Executive Director, NASDDDS and Jane Gallivan, Maine, Chair of NASDDDS National Policy Work Group
9:15 AM - 12:00 PM	NEW LEADERSHIP AND INITIATIVES AT CMS: Terry Pratt, Acting Head, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, CMS; Susie Bosstick, Director of the Division of Community and Institutional Services, DEHPG, CMS. NASDDDS has also invited the as yet unnamed director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM	LUNCH
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM	HEALTH CARE REFORM -THE HOUSE PERSPECTIVE: Members of the staff of Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA), David Obey (D-WI), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), George Miller (D-CA) (invited)
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM	BREAK
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM	NATIONAL POLICY PERSPECTIVES FROM THE STATE MEDICAID DIRECTORS Anne Kohler, Director, National Association of State Medicaid Directors; Rick Fenton, Deputy Director of Health Services, NASMD
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM	DISABILITY POLICY LANDSCAPE Marty Ford, Chair, Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities; Serena Lowe

WEDNESDAY	MAY 13, 2009
8:30 AM	Coffee
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM	FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES: TBD
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM	HEALTH CARE REFORM - THE SENATE PERSPECTIVE: Members of the staff of Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-KS), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA) Tom Harkins (D-IA), Herb Kohl (D-WI) (invited)
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM	NEW DISABILITY LEADERSHIP IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION Kareem Dale, Disability Policy Advisor, White House; Jeff Crowley, Director of National Policy on Aids and Senior Advisor on Disability Policy, White House
12:30 - 1:00 PM	WRAP-UP Jane Gallivan, Maine, Chair of NASDDDS National Policy Work Group; Dan Berland, Federal Policy Analyst, NASDDDS

Forum Registration
The National Policy Forum registration is open ONLY to State Directors and Designated State Agency Staff. The registration fee is $165 and includes meeting materials, refreshments, and a luncheon at the hotel. (The registration fee does not include hotel reservations and/or transportation to the meeting.)

Hotel Reservations

A special group rate has been reserved at The Liaison Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. but only until all group rooms have been allocated or until the group cutoff date, whichever comes first. The rate is $249 per night for a standard room plus applicable taxes. Reservations can be handled through individual calls or emails to the reservation Department at 1-866-233-4642. The cutoff date for accepting reservations is Friday, April 17, 2009 by 5:00 PM EDT. Attendees need to make sure to mention that you will be part of the NASDDDS meeting to guarantee the group rate.