Baylor Health Policy Symposium 2025: Where policy meets practice 

From Medicaid reform to psychedelic therapy, health policy debates shape the way we experience healthcare every day. However, more and more states are being relied on to govern health policy. What role should the states have and how can healthcare providers effectively work with their state legislatures to shape health policy at the state level?

On April 24, the Baylor Health Policy Symposium returns with an urgent conversation: “Legislating health: The appropriate role of the state in health policy.”

This year’s symposium will bring together leading voices in medicine, law and policy to explore the evolving landscape of state-led health policy and discuss the future direction of health policy.

What to expect

This year’s dynamic lineup of panels and speakers will tackle key questions, including:

• How can Medicaid adapt to meet the needs of a shifting population?

• What can be done to combat skyrocketing medical debt?

• What role should state legislators play in shaping healthcare access and policy?

• Could psychedelics become the next frontier of mental health treatment?

The full-day event will feature four panels and a virtual poster session, providing attendees with a chance to engage in real-world policy debates that impact patients, providers and policymakers alike.

Highlights from the agenda

• Innovative Medicaid: State-Backed Strategies for Better Health (11:05 a.m. – noon): A conversation on Medicaid’s evolution featuring Dr. Charlene Wong (Duke University) and Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst (Texas Health and Human Services). Moderated by Dr. Peter Ubel (Duke University). Health Policy Grand Rounds – This activity is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, Ethics Credit, and Social Work Credit.
• The Price of Health: Solutions for Medical Debt and Affordability (Noon- 1:15 p.m.): How do we fix the financial barriers to healthcare? Experts Dr. Vivian Ho (Baylor College of Medicine/Baker Institute at Rice), Ken Janda (Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine), Dr. Peter Ubel (Duke University) and Dr. Fumiko Chino (MD Anderson) discuss the policy solutions we need.
• Policy in Action: Collaborating with State Legislators for Change (1:30- 2:15 p.m.): What does it really take to shape effective health legislation? Brian Jammer (Baylor College of Medicine), Dr. Susan Patricia Raine (Baylor College of Medicine), Doug Abel (Harris County Medical Society) and Dr. Jimmy Widmer (Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple) share their insights. Moderated by Dr. Christi Guerrini (Baylor College of Medicine).
• Pioneering Psychedelics: Insights from the Texas Ibogaine Initiative (2:15 – 3:15 p.m.): Once dismissed as fringe medicine, psychedelics are gaining momentum in mental health treatment. This panel, featuring Bryan Hubbard (Executive Director of the American Ibogain Intiative through the REID Foundation and former Chairman and Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission), Logan Davidson (Texans for Greater Mental Health), Dr. Lynnette Averill (Baylor College of Medicine) and moderated by Dr. Amy McGuire (Baylor College of Medicine), explores key learnings from Kentucky’s bold approach and gives a case study about building momentum for the Texas Ibogaine Initiative.

Virtual poster session: Get involved

The symposium also will feature a virtual poster session, offering researchers an opportunity to showcase their work on health and science policy. Submissions are open to Baylor faculty, staff and students, and selected posters will be presented via VoiceThread.

• Deadline for abstracts: April 14

• Final poster submission: April 22

For more details and submission guidelines, visit BCM.edu/health-policy-symposium.

Join the conversation

This symposium is designed for:

• Physicians, nurses and healthcare providers navigating policy changes in clinical settings.

• Bioethicists and legal experts exploring the intersection of medicine and law.

• Health policy scholars and researchers analyzing the implications of government intervention.

• Medical students and trainees preparing for a career in ethically responsible healthcare leadership.

This symposium provides essential context for understanding how legislative decisions impact healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. We look forward to engaging in this critical conversation with you.

Save the date: April 24

Register now at BCM.edu/health-policy-symposium

By Lauren Hoffman, senior program coordinator, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy