Mostly Medicaid gathers 88 Medicaid leaders at NAMD dinner

Mostly Medicaid hosted 88 Medicaid leaders and industry influencers at an invitation-only Ideas Workshop Dinner during the National Association of Medicaid Directors conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Oct. 22, 2026. The event focused on Medicaid fraud, behavioral health, and managed care, underscoring how state officials and industry stakeholders are navigating change in the program.

Why it matters: - Medicaid policy and operations affect state agencies, health plans, providers, and patients across the country. - The dinner created a private forum for leaders to discuss fraud, behavioral health, and managed care at a time of rapid change in the Medicaid program. - Mostly Medicaid positioned the event as a cross-sector convening point for people shaping the program’s future.

What happened: - Mostly Medicaid hosted its annual invitation-only Ideas Workshop Dinner during the National Association of Medicaid Directors conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Oct. 22, 2026. - The dinner brought together 88 Medicaid leaders and industry influencers. - The event was held at Tom’s Watch Bar in Oxon Hill. - Guest speakers included Cindy Beane, former Medicaid Director of West Virginia, and Andy Allison, former Medicaid Director of Kansas and Arkansas and former Director for Strategic Planning & Analytics in Illinois.

The details: - The discussion centered on Medicaid fraud, which remains a major concern for state agencies, health plans, providers, and other stakeholders. - Beane spoke about behavioral health in Medicaid. - Allison discussed the future of Medicaid managed care. - Allison also offered advice for legislators and future Medicaid directors. - Attendees responded with a lively, good-natured exchange of views on the challenges and opportunities facing Medicaid. - The evening included a new custom-designed Medicaid-themed game intended to help attendees interact across the industry and explore different stakeholder roles. - Clay Farris, founding partner of Mostly Medicaid, said the program brings stakeholders together during a period of “unprecedented change” in Medicaid. - Jim Stringham, vice president and CEO of Banner Health Plans, said the event had a strong turnout and “stimulating conversations.” - Nicholas Bailey, deputy director of Quality Management at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said, “Great discussions.”

Between the lines: - The event was less a formal presentation and more a relationship-building exercise for a complex policy arena. - The focus on fraud, behavioral health, and managed care suggests the issues most likely to drive near-term Medicaid debate. - The addition of the themed game signals an effort to make policy networking more interactive and less transactional.

What's next: - Mostly Medicaid says it will continue using the Ideas Workshop Dinner format to connect leaders across the Medicaid ecosystem. - The company’s broader model centers on thought leadership, consulting, training, and market intelligence for more than 10,000 Medicaid professionals. - More information is available on Mostly Medicaid's website.