Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research

Summit on the Future of Health Policy in Rhode Island

This event is proud to be a part of the Brown 2026 intitiative

Summit on the Future of Health Policy in Rhode Island

About the Event

On February 11, 2026, the Summit on the Future of Health Policy in Rhode Island convened policymakers, researchers, and community leaders for a daylong discussion on the state’s most pressing health policy challenges. The program featured moderated panels on strengthening primary care access, advancing health care affordability, and positioning Rhode Island to navigate ongoing and future changes in federal health policy.

This summit was co-sponsored by the Brown 2026 initiative, which seeks to highlight the role of research institutions in supporting open, democratic societies and advancing a more affordable, accessible, and equitable health care system.

Agenda at a Glance

Panel A: What policies could increase access to primary care in Rhode Island?

Panel B: What are policy options for making health care more affordable in Rhode Island?

Panel C: How should Rhode Island navigate the impacts of the 2025 federal reconciliation bill on Medicaid?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2FswhW5VXA8

Watch the panel discussion

Please refer to the timestamp links provided in the YouTube video description to navigate directly to specific panels and discussion segments.

Welcome Remarks being delivered by Brown University President Christina Paxson.

Panel A (left to right): Jason Buxbaum (Brown University), Caroline Richardson (Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University ), Martha Wofford (Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island ), Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (Rhode Island House of Representatives), and moderator Ateev Mehrotra.

Panel B Discussants — Panel B (left to right): Erin Fuse Brown (Brown University), Cory King (Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner), Lindsay Lang (Health Source RI) , and moderator Andrew Ryan

Lindsay Lang and Andrew Ryan — Lindsay Lang, Director of HealthSource RI, and Dr. Andrew Ryan, Director of CAHPR and moderator, discuss policy options for improving affordability and strengthening health care access in Rhode Island.

Senator Louis P. DiPalma speaks during a panel on navigating impending Medicaid cuts in Rhode Island. To his right are Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies (Economic Progress Institute) and Kristin Sousa (Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services).

For questions please contact cahpr@brown.edu or Nathan Hostert, Assistant Director for State Policy, at nathan_hostert@brown.edu.