Driving Medicaid’s next chapter: Key takeaways from the NAMD 2025 Conference

Every year, the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) Conference convenes state and federal leaders, health plans and innovators shaping the future of Medicaid.¹ This year’s theme, “State and territory leadership: Powering Medicaid’s next chapter”, highlighted the impact that state collaborators have on driving innovation, sustainability and better health outcomes for the 79 million Americans served by Medicaid and CHIP programs. From November 19–21, UnitedHealthcare joined peers and policymakers at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland, to share how it’s helping build the future of Medicaid and empower families today for a healthier tomorrow.

Supporting families at every stage

Maternal and infant health was a central focus at UnitedHealthcare’s booth this year. Through UnitedHealthcare My Maternity Journey, a holistic maternity program, UnitedHealthcare helps expectant parents navigate every stage of pregnancy and postpartum care with personalized guidance, educational tools and community-based supports. Attendees were able to explore how UnitedHealthcare leverages local collaborations, technology and culturally relevant resources to help reduce health challenges and improve maternal outcomes across states.

Prosocial activation: Empowering families today

UnitedHealthcare’s presence at NAMD included hands-on action. Through a collaboration with Greater Baden Medical Services (GBMS), UnitedHealthcare supported new parents in a tangible way. GBMS is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving families across Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s Counties in Maryland.

UnitedHealthcare’s booth was designed to resemble a children's room, complete with comfortable rocking chairs, a children's rug and books. At this booth, attendees assembled care packages for new parents which included essentials such as baby health kits, diapers and self-care items for parents and caregivers.  We successfully assembled enough care packages to support every single new family GBMS serves in a calendar year, ensuring they receive the care and resources they need from the very start.

This activation embodies the conference’s spirit of collaboration and leadership, demonstrating how managed care organizations, providers and community organizations can come together to make an immediate difference for families.

After the conference, booth materials including books and furniture from the immersive children’s room were also donated to GBMS, creating a welcoming, permanent space for parents and children in their care facilities.

"We're excited to share that the generous donations provided by UnitedHealthcare have been very well received by our patients. These care bags are making a meaningul difference, and we are prioritizing distribution to those who need them most, especially our new obstetrics patients. A big thank you to UnitedHealthcare for supporting our mission to enhance patient care and experience!"

 -Romaan A. Woody-Wesley, Population Health & Site Manager at Greater Baden Medical Services

Conference insights and collaboration

Across three days of plenaries, panels and networking sessions, Medicaid leaders tackled the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the program today. Topics included:

• Strengthening rural health through cross-sector collaboration
• Expanding access to behavioral health and crisis services
• Addressing the needs of individuals with complex care requirements
• Leveraging telehealth and data analytics to transform care delivery
• Engaging members and elevating their voices to inform policy