About this Session:
The Southern Belt of the United States is experiencing a demographic shift, with older populations increasingly migrating to the region for its lower cost of living and warmer climate. Yet, this growing aging population faces a stark reality—the South has some of the highest mortality rates, lowest investment in healthcare innovation, and persistent health disparities, particularly in states that have resisted Medicaid expansion. This session explores the urgent need for investment in Medicaid innovation across the Southern Belt, where underfunded health infrastructure, limited digital transformation, and disparities in preventive care are driving poorer health outcomes. It examines how targeted investment in value-based care models, telehealth expansion, and AI-driven solutions could reduce costs, improve care delivery, and extend healthy lifespans in aging communities—while also creating economic opportunities. Key discussion points include: \- The Aging Wave & Medicaid’s Role – How the rise in dual-eligible populations (Medicare + Medicaid) creates both a challenge and an opportunity for innovative care models in the South. \- Chronic Disease & High Mortality Rates – Addressing the disproportionate burden of chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which contribute to higher mortality rates among Black and low-income populations. \- Underinvestment in Health Tech & Infrastructure – Exploring the lack of venture capital, digital health solutions, and AI-driven care models in a region where rural hospital closures and provider shortages are increasing. \- Economic Growth Through Medicaid Innovation – Understanding how Medicaid investment is not just about healthcare but also about job creation, tech development, and economic sustainability for Southern communities. \- The Political & Policy Landscape – Examining the ongoing political resistance to Medicaid expansion and how investment in Medicaid innovation can push the region toward more equitable and sustainable health policies. Despite these challenges, the Southern Belt presents one of the greatest opportunities for Medicaid-focused innovation and investment. By aligning capital with population needs, the region can reverse its trajectory of poor health outcomes and become a hub for community-driven, tech-enabled healthcare models that improve lives while fueling local economies. Speakers: \- Laura Harker, Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities \- Sebastian Seiguer, CEO, Scene Health \- Kiiera Robinson, Vice President, Community Health Workers, Waymark Care \- Colby Takeda, CEO, Pear Suite \- Kirsten Brecht Baker, CEO & Co-Founder, Jeenie