Agenda

Gather for a warm welcome from the the Home Health and Skilled Nursing News teams, as they set the stage for the high-impact sessions, networking opportunities and industry insights set to unfold.

As payment models rapidly evolve, post-acute providers are navigating a complex mix of Medicare Advantage growth, value-based care mandates and shifting Medicaid policy. This executive outlook will examine how reimbursement structures are changing across home health and skilled nursing, what insurers, CMS and states are prioritizing, and how providers and payers must adapt to remain viable in a margin-constrained environment.

Managed care administration has become one of the most time-consuming and operationally complex functions in post-acute care. As authorization requirements continue to grow in volume and complexity, leading providers are leveraging AI and technology to streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, and improve reimbursement outcomes. Through real-world examples and practical discussion, panelists will explore how AI can support high-volume, repeatable tasks, increase operational efficiency, and help organizations navigate an increasingly demanding payer landscape.

As payers and accrediting bodies increasingly leverage artificial intelligence to audit clinical documentation, the margin for error in the field is shrinking to zero. Traditional, retroactive QAPI processes are no longer enough to protect your agency's revenue and reputation.
This session explores the imminent future of AI-driven compliance. Discover how forward-thinking agencies are embedding AI directly into field documentation workflows and team communication channels to catch errors in real-time. Attendees will walk away with a concrete blueprint on how to prepare their clinical data, train their teams, and utilize AI as a proactive shield against automated payer scrutiny.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
1. Anticipate how accrediting bodies and payers use automated AI tools to audit home health documentation.
2. Implement real-time AI guardrails within field documentation and internal team chats to prevent compliance red flags before submission.
3. Construct a proactive QAPI strategy that aligns with the next generation of digital-first regulatory oversight.

Take a breather between sessions to mingle with fellow attendees, exchange ideas, and build relationships with professionals shaping the future of payer-provider relations.

As CMS continues to push toward population health through new models like TEAM, GUIDE, and LEAD—while repeatedly reshaping existing programs such as ACOs—providers and payers are navigating both opportunity and uncertainty. This panel will explore how organizations are positioning themselves for the next phase of value-based care.

As Medicare Advantage plans intensify utilization management and payment scrutiny, providers are facing rising denials, downcoding and delayed reimbursements. This panel will examine key denial trends, appeals strategies that work and how providers can better protect revenue while maintaining productive payer relationships.

The question of where patients go after hospitalization is becoming more complex—and more consequential. This panel will explore how payers and providers are navigating site-of-care decisions across home health, skilled nursing and emerging alternatives, and what is driving those choices in practice. Panelists will share how clinical, financial and operational factors intersect—and what providers can do to stay competitive in a rapidly shifting landscape.

Refuel and recharge with home health and skilled nursing leaders by enjoying lunch, where meaningful introductions and collaborative conversations are always on the menu.

HHCN+ members are invited to join a collaborative discussion on the evolving landscape of the payer-provider relationship over an exclusive networking lunch.

MA leaders discuss how they negotiate post-acute agreements, align incentives, and manage performance once the ink is dry. Learn what drives trust, transparency and long-term success—and what tends to derail relationships.

While major insurance companies have been pulling back on their Medicare Advantage offerings, SNPs and hospital-owned MA plans continue to expand and shape how a growing number of people receive post-acute and long-term care. Learn more about the factors driving growth for these plans and how they are impacting care delivery and business strategy for home health and SNF operators.

Take a breather between sessions to mingle with fellow attendees, exchange ideas, and build relationships with professionals shaping the future of payer-provider relations.

Fragmentation between Medicare and Medicaid continues to drive cost, complexity and inconsistent outcomes. This panel will explore how D-SNPs, integrated care models and state-federal alignment efforts are evolving—and what they mean for post-acute and long-term care providers. Panelists will discuss where integration is improving care, where gaps remain and how providers can better navigate and participate in these models.

Unwind after a day of sessions by reconnecting with peers and continuing conversations with payers and providers in home health and skilled nursing.