Health care is at an inflection point. The movement toward integrated care that includes physical health and behavioral health is no longer aspirational. It is happening now and health plans are central to making it work. As policymakers, regulators, providers, and partners consider the next phase of health system transformation, the need for shared learning and alignment has never been greater.
That is why the upcoming ABHW Policy Summit comes at a critical moment.
Health Plans Are Driving Integration at Scale
Health plans are uniquely positioned to advance integrated care across populations. By aligning payment models, coordinating networks, and investing in data and technology, plans are helping ensure that behavioral health is treated as an essential part of overall health.
Across the country, health plans are supporting care models that bring behavioral health into primary and specialty care settings, improve coordination among providers, expand access through virtual care, and address social factors that influence outcomes. These efforts are improving the quality of care, reducing avoidable utilization, and delivering better outcomes for people with complex needs.
But progress is uneven, and policy decisions made today will shape how integrated care evolves tomorrow.
Policy Is the Accelerator or the Barrier
Federal and state policy plays a defining role in whether integrated care can succeed. Payment rules, network standards, workforce policies, data sharing requirements, and coverage decisions all directly affect how care is delivered on the ground.
At the same time, policymakers are increasingly focused on mental health, substance use, and whole person care. The question is not whether integration should happen but how to do it well and at scale.
The ABHW Policy Summit is designed to bring together leaders who are grappling with these questions in real time.
Why Attend the ABHW Policy Summit
The summit provides a forum for candid discussion and practical insight into what is working and what still needs to change. Participants will hear directly from health plan leaders, policymakers, and experts who are shaping integrated care models and navigating the policy landscape.
Attendees will gain insight into how health plans are aligning incentives to support integrated care, how behavioral health integration is improving outcomes for people with chronic conditions, and how policy decisions can either enable or constrain innovation.
Equally important, the summit offers the opportunity to engage with peers across sectors to share lessons learn from challenges and help shape a policy agenda that supports access, quality, and sustainability.
More Examples of What Attendees Will Learn and Discuss
Integrating behavioral health into chronic disease management
Health plans are aligning behavioral health care with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and maternal health programs. By addressing depression, anxiety, and substance use alongside medical treatment plans, members are more likely to adhere to medications, attend appointments, and achieve better clinical outcomes. Summit discussions will explore how policy can support these integrated models by enabling payment flexibility and improving quality measurement.
Improving care for people with serious mental illness
Plans are advancing models that connect physical health, behavioral health, and community supports for individuals with serious mental illness. These approaches reduce emergency room use, improve preventive care, and extend life expectancy. Attendees will examine how Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial policy frameworks can better support these efforts.
Using data to identify risk earlier
Health plans are using data analytics to identify members at risk for worsening behavioral or physical health conditions before a crisis occurs. This allows care teams to intervene early with care coordination, behavioral health support, or social services. The summit will highlight policy barriers and opportunities related to data sharing, privacy, and interoperability.
Expanding access in rural and underserved communities
Virtual behavioral health and integrated telehealth models are helping close access gaps where provider shortages are most acute. Health plans are partnering with providers to ensure continuity of care across settings. Summit participants will discuss how coverage and workforce policies can sustain access while maintaining quality.
Addressing substance use as a core health issue
Plans are integrating substance use treatment into medical care pathways, including emergency departments, primary care, and maternity care. These models improve treatment engagement and reduce avoidable hospitalizations. Policy sessions will focus on how federal and state rules can better support continuity of care and long-term recovery.
Supporting providers in integrated care delivery
Health plans are investing in training, technical assistance, and care team support to help providers deliver integrated care effectively. The summit will explore how policy can reduce administrative burden, align quality measures, and support workforce development.
Measuring what matters
Integrated care requires measures that reflect the whole person, not just isolated services. Health plans are developing outcome-focused approaches that track physical, behavioral, and functional improvement together. Summit conversations will address how quality measurement policy can evolve to support integrated outcomes.
Moving Forward Together
Integrated care is not a single program or policy. It is a system-level shift that requires collaboration across plans, providers, policymakers, and communities. The ABHW Policy Summit is an opportunity to learn from leaders at the forefront of this work and to help define the path forward. For those committed to improving behavioral health, advancing whole-person care, and ensuring that policies support better outcomes, this is a conversation you will want to be part of. Join us to explore the policies, innovations, and strategies that are shaping the future of integrated care.
