Advancing access, complex care and innovation: Highlights from MHPA 2025

October 14, 2025 2 minute read

The 2025 Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA) Annual Conference was held in Kansas City with record-breaking attendance. With participation from 23 health plans, the conference highlighted Medicaid managed care’s impact on improving outcomes for more than 70M people nationwide. UnitedHealthcare Community & State was honored to serve as a sponsor, reflecting our commitment to advancing innovation and member-centered solutions.

Catherine Anderson, Senior Vice President of Health Optimization Strategy at UnitedHealth Group, opened the event with the State of MHPA address, where she highlighted UnitedHealth Group’s investments in housing. These investments are improving stability and health outcomes for communities across the country.

Engaging in the conversations shaping Medicaid’s future

UnitedHealthcare Community & State leaders participated in key sessions across all four thematic tracks: Access to Care, Complex Care, Hot Topics and Policy. The following sessions were presented:

Redefining Medicaid care: Blair Boroch, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Pennsylvania, joined AbsoluteCare to discuss how value-based care can better serve high-risk populations. The panel emphasized the importance of addressing social needs, building pragmatic collaborations with community-based organizations and scaling cost-disrupting solutions.
Unlocking the future of Medicaid: Gabe Moreno, Vice President of Clinical, Provider and Data Capabilities and Paruj Acharya, Policy Director of Technology, Health Data and Consumer Experience, spoke on modernizing Medicaid through public-private collaborations. The session explored API-based data exchange, digital engagement strategies and the need for strong relationships and communication across states, CMS and managed care organizations.
Medicaid policy in play: Kate Paris, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, joined a panel of MHPA’s Policy & Regulatory Committee leaders exploring the regulatory implications of H.R. 1. Discussions focused on eligibility, financing and preparing for upcoming policy shifts, with an emphasis on ensuring stakeholders remain engaged in shaping solutions.
Food is medicine innovation: Lucia Herrera-Jones joined Attane Health to highlight the Kansas Food is Medicine Demonstration Project, which delivered nutrient-dense food and culturally competent nutrition support to pregnant individuals in their third trimester. Early results included improved food security, reductions in NICU stays and stronger maternal health outcomes.
Digital health and member engagement: Dr. Toyosi Okurounmu, VP Medical Leadership & Clinical Performance, joined Scene Health to spotlight a new model of digital care that uses daily video check-ins to improve medication adherence and chronic condition management.

Reflections from our leaders

Employee takeaways highlight the urgency and innovation at the heart of this year’s conference:

“Be immersed where Medicaid members are instead of adding something else to their daily lives.” Sandy Long, Vice President, Products & Experience highlighting Fabric Health’s approach of meeting members in laundromats.

“The Medicaid directors emphasized the importance of ensuring that underserved populations can obtain timely and appropriate health care services. Complex Care Management was another significant focus. The needs of individuals with multiple chronic conditions or disabilities were discussed, with an emphasis on improving care coordination and outcomes.” Angela Lello, Regional Policy Director, reflecting on state Medicaid leaders’ perspectives.

“Medicaid directors deliberated on work requirements and redetermination procedures for the Expansion population, noting that members lack clarity on their specific Medicaid category (Expansion Medicaid, TANF or ABD). To address this, it is essential to develop a comprehensive plan that effectively informs impacted members while providing clarity for those unaffected.” Blair Boroch, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Pennsylvania.

Why this matters

Conferences such as MHPA are a platform to learn, collaborate and influence the future of Medicaid. For UnitedHealthcare Community & State, it’s an opportunity to share our experiences, listen to diverse perspectives and bring back insights that shape how we serve members. As Medicaid continues to evolve, UnitedHealthcare remains committed to advancing innovation, building trusted collaborations and ensuring members have access to the right care at the right time.

To learn about additional conferences where we’re advancing conversations on improving member outcomes, visit our 2025 HCBS Conference article.

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