2026 Conference Schedule

Tuesday, February 17 | Wednesday, February 18 | Thursday, February 19

Join us on Monday, February 16th for a golf outing or pickleball! Registration is optional and can be done through the Conference registration form.

Once you've checked in, please join us for an informal Happy Hour at the
Headwaters Lounge from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday the 16th.

Please note, these titles are tentative.

Day 1: Tuesday, February 17

7:00 am - 5:00 pm	Registration and Sponsor & Exhibitor Tables
7:30 am - 9:00 am	Breakfast
8:00 am - 8:50 am	Member Meeting - Introduction of the new Executive Committee and Committee Chairs for 2026-2028 All are invited to attend.
9:00 am - 9:50 am	First-Time Attendees Presentation Testimonials from members
10:00 am - 10:15 am	Welcome Session Val Aiello, NAIRO President & Eric Hatfield NAIRO Vice President and Symposium Chair
10:15 am - 10:25 am	Premier Sponsor Presentation
10:35 am - 11:25 am	A View from the Capitol Presented by Shawn Griffin, MD - President and CEO, URAC In this annual session, Shawn Griffin, MD, President and CEO of URAC, looks ahead to where federal attention is heading and what those signals mean in practice. The discussion will focus on emerging themes coming out of Washington, including how lawmakers and agencies are thinking about oversight, accountability and flexibility in a rapidly changing health care environment. Shawn will also explore how artificial intelligence in health care is increasingly part of these conversations, including early thinking around data use, guardrails and trust as AI adoption accelerates. Attendees can expect a practical, plainspoken conversation that helps put the year ahead into context and highlights what to watch next.
11:30 am - 12:30 pm	Lunch
12:30 pm - 1:25 pm	Title: TBD Presented by Madhu Reddiboina, MS - Founder, CEO, and President, RediMinds
1:30 pm - 2:25 pm	Title: TBD Presented by Steve Gran - Co-Founder and Managing Partner, WorkExcellence, LLC This session will explore how organizations in the healthcare review industry can shift from reactive operations to intentional, strategic growth by learning to work on the business. We’ll introduce a practical framework grounded in the Work Excellence Method to help stabilize operations, resolve pain points, and build alignment across teams. Attendees will hear directly from peer organizations currently applying this method, gaining insight into the challenges and outcomes of stepping back to improve how work is structured and measured. The goal: to provide leaders with an actionable approach for creating clarity, driving performance, and scaling with purpose.
2:25 pm - 2:40 pm	Break
2:45 pm - 3:40 pm	How to create a good medical review? Presented by Dr. Douglas Lurie This presentation outlines the key elements of a quality medical review. A good review is clear, concise, error-free, timely, evidence-based, unbiased, and independent. It addresses only the questions asked and stays within the scope of the request. Proper case assignment to the most appropriate specialist is essential to ensure accuracy, credibility, and high-quality outcomes.
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm	Welcome Reception Sponsor Presentation IMEDECS
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm	Welcome Reception

Day 2: Wednesday, February 18

7:00 am - 5:00 pm	Registration and Sponsor & Exhibitor Tables
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:35 am - 8:50 am	Sponsor Presentation Commence.ai
8:55 am - 9:50 am	Title: Navigating Federal Healthcare Contracting in a Time of Change Presented by Tris Carpenter - Red Team Consulting For organizations providing independent medical review and healthcare services, expanding into Federal contracts with CMS, VA, and other agencies can feel complex and uncertain. This session, led by Tris Carpenter, will demystify the Federal acquisition process and provide a practical roadmap for how review organizations can position themselves to compete and succeed. Attendees will gain insight into how opportunities are forecast, how decisions are made inside agencies, and what small and mid-sized firms can do to prepare competitive proposals, build teaming relationships, and stay compliant while pursuing new Federal business.
9:55 am - 10:50 am	AI-Driven Innovations in Independent Medical Peer Reviews: Current Trends Presented by David Vozza This presentation will examine how artificial intelligence can transform the independent peer review process in healthcare and discuss current applications designed to automate peer review tasks like initial case screenings and data analysis, while supporting human reviewers with predictive insights from vast data sources. We'll also address critical challenges, such as mitigating algorithmic biases, ensuring compliance with regulations like HIPAA, and integrating AI without compromising the objectivity that defines IROs.
10:50 am - 11:10 am	Break
11:15 am - 12:10 pm	The WHY of Oversight Presented by Cheryl Mason - Department of Veterans Affairs Join The Honorable Cheryl Mason, JD, for an engaging and insightful dive into the claims and appeals process at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We’ll explore the impact of case law, regulations, and guidance on these processes, and tackle the challenges posed by medical disability exams and other crucial evidence. Discover the ripple effects on veterans and the VA and learn how quality assurance is (or isn’t) measured. Think of it as the Wild West of VA Claims and Appeals! Plus, get informed about the upcoming changes for independent reviews in the federal agency arena. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a critical conversation!
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:25 pm	Quality in the Behavioral Health World Presented by Marlene McDermott Understand and measuring quality care in the behavioral health space has historically been difficult to achieve. There are few tests or labs to complete to understand the functioning level of a patient. The information used is often a patient report of their symptoms. This session will discuss the ways clinicians can improve their documentation of behavioral health improvement. It will also discuss the ways quality and compliance departments can interpret the documentation to validate wellness is being properly measured and addressed in treatment.
2:30 pm - 3:25 pm	TBD Presented by NLP Logix
3:25 pm - 3:40 pm	Break
3:45 pm - 4:40 pm	Peeking Around Corners - A Look At What Keeps Me Up At Night Presented by Gerry Stanley, MD - Cigna Medical Director “Peeking around corners” will be a fast-paced, candid conversation that dives into the forces reshaping our industry and the broader insurance ecosystem. Expect an honest look at the trends, disruptions, and blind spots that keep industry leaders up at night – delivered with energy, humor and zero sugarcoating. We’ll explore emerging challenges, unexpected opportunities, and what it really takes to stay ahead in a constantly shifting landscape. Attendees should come ready for a lively, thought-provoking conversation that as fun as it is revealing.
4:45 pm - 5:00 pm	Welcome Reception Sponsor Presentation IMEDECS
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm	Cocktail and Networking Reception ManageWare

Day 3: Thursday, February 19

7:00 am - 5:00 pm	Registration and Sponsor & Exhibitor Tables
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:00 am - 8:20 am	Sponsor Presentation
8:25 am - 9:20 am	Regulatory Panel Presented by Eric Hatfield, Rob Feguer, and Gerry Stanley
9:20 am - 9:35 am	Break
9:35 am - 10:30 am	URAC Independent Review Organization Program V6.0 Overview Presented by Rose Reich - URAC
10:35 am - 11:30 am	TBD
11:00 am	Hotel Check Out Time
11:30 am - 11:45 am	Giveaways
11:45 am - 12:00 pm	Closing Remarks

Registration is OPEN

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