---

News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Next Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration will focus on impact of Affordable Care Act

Presenters Feb. 8 include former President George W. Bush's lead health policy advisor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 16, 2013

EDITORS: A complete program schedule, links to the participants' biographies and directions are available at the Center for the Business of Life Sciences Center for the Business of Life Sciences website.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- While placing some limitations on the Medicare expansion, the Supreme Court's decision in June left most of the 2010 Affordable Care Act intact. With the presidential election now behind us and the composition of the House and Senate known, it is a safe assumption that some form of health care reform will go into effect in 2014.

The next event in the Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference Series will focus on what this may mean for the states, insurers, providers and firms across the life sciences industry.

The conference, which will take place Feb. 8 at Fairbanks Hall at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, will feature several government "insiders," observers and industry professionals who will share their thoughts on the next phase of the transformation of the nation's health care system.

"While the election confirmed that the Affordable Care Act will remain the law of the land, there are a large number of specific details that need to be worked out at both the federal and state level in order to implement it," said George Telthorst, director of the Center for the Business of Life Sciences at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. "One size will not fit all; health care reform will vary from state to state. Speakers at the conference will share their opinions (with a special focus on Indiana) in two key areas: expanding coverage for the uninsured, and how providers and suppliers will respond. "

The morning's keynote speaker will be Doug Badger, a partner in the Washington, D.C.-based Nickles Group LLC. He previously was a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush for legislative affairs. He helped formulate the Bush administration's policy and legislative strategy. He also was the president's lead health policy advisor on the Medicare Modernization Act as well as Medicare's drug coverage, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, and the creation of health savings accounts.

He has worked as a partner at Washington Council Ernst & Young, specializing in health care, intellectual property and employee benefits. He served for a decade as a U.S. Senate aide, including stints as chief of staff to assistant majority leader Don Nickles, R-Okla., and staff director of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. He has held senior positions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration.

The luncheon keynote speaker will be Seema Verma, principal at SVC Inc., who formerly was vice president of policy and planning for the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County. She also was a project director with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials in Washington, D.C. Currently, she works with a variety of clients in the public and private sectors, serving as both lead contractor and subcontractor.

In her work for the state of Indiana, Verma was the architect of the Healthy Indiana Plan, which is the nation's first Health Savings Account model applied to a Medicaid population. She developed the policy, design and fiscal analysis and crafted the legislation establishing HIP. She also served as director of its implementation team.

She is a guest lecturer with the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a former policy fellow with the National Association of Public Hospitals.

The registration fee for the event is $150. Students at accredited Indiana institutions of higher education may qualify for a discounted rate. Registration and additional information are available online or by contacting Kelli Conder at the Kelley School at 812-856-0915 or kconder@indiana.edu.

The conference series is presented by the IU Kelley School of Business, its Center for the Business of Life Sciences, the Indiana Economic Development Corp., BioCrossroads, Bacterin International Holdings Inc., Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc. and Zimmer.

Following registration and networking from 8 to 9 a.m., Badger will give his presentation, "The Mayans Were Wrong and the World Won't End in 2013 Either!"

After a break, there will be the day's first panel discussion, "Expansion of Coverage Next Steps, Challenges and Ramifications." Presenters will be John Barth, vice president of compliance and regulatory affairs at Managed Health Services and an at-large member of the Indianapolis City-County Council; Charlotte MacBeth, president and CEO of MDwise; and State Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, a member of the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services. Kevin Woodhouse, a partner at Ice Miller LLP, will moderate.

After Verma's luncheon keynote, there will be a second panel discussion, "Providers' and Suppliers' Next Steps, Challenges and Ramifications." Presenters will be Jay Bonitt, vice president of federal affairs at Eli Lilly and Co.; Brian Tabor, vice president for government relations at the Indiana Hospital Association; Michael Rinebold, director of government relations at the Indiana State Medical Association; and Rusty Ring, vice president of government relations at Roche Diagnostics. Neil Pickett, director of policy health research at IU Health, will moderate.

The day's events will wrap up at 3 p.m. The Feb. 8 conference is sponsored by Ice Miller LLP, IU Health, Omnicare and Roche Diagnostics.

Other financial sponsors are Anson Group, Barnes & Thornburg LLP; Baxter BioPharma; Biomet; Cook Medical; Covance Laboratories; Hill-Rom; Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute; Indiana Health Information Exchange; IU School of Medicine; Krieg DeVault LLP; Eli Lilly and Co.; Purdue University; and Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

Brochure sponsors are Cabello Associates; and Miles Printing on Plastics. Marketing sponsors are AIT Laboratories; Aptalis Pharma; Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership; CHV Capital Inc.; Commissioning Agents Inc.; Guerbet LLC; IU College of Arts and Sciences; IU Kelley Evening MBA Program; IU Kelley School of Business Alumni Association; IU Office for the Vice President for Engagement; IU Research & Technology Corp.; Novus Biologicals; OrthoWorx Inc.; Pearl Pathways LLC; Performance Validation LLC; Regulatory Affairs Professional Society; and VMS BioMarketing.

---

---