Thank you to everyone who made the 2025 National Voices of Medicare Summit a success
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 12th Annual National Voices of Medicare Summit: Allies. Advocacy. Action. We are grateful to all our attendees, registrants, presenters and sponsors for a day that truly buoyed our spirits. We hope you all agree!
Digital Program Booklet
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Summit Recap & Video Clips
Welcome & Framing the Day
On May 14, 2025, the Center for Medicare Advocacy held its 12th annual National Voices of Medicare Summit at KFF’s Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, DC and via live webcast. The theme of this year’s Summit was Allies. Advocacy. Action. CMA Co-Director Scott Perkins opened the Summit by welcoming the in-person attendees and live webcast audience. This year’s event was free for everyone to attend and had over 1,700 registrants from all 50 states. Scott introduced CMA Co-Director David Lipschutz and Tricia Neuman, Senior VP & Director, Medicare Policy, KFF, who then took the stage to frame the day.
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Spotlight on CMS
The next section of CMA’s Summit featured a conversation titled, Spotlight on CMS, with Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation; and former CMS Administrator; and Sean Cavanaugh, Chief Policy Officer, Aledade; CMA Board Member; and former Director, Center for Medicare, CMS.
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Pathways to Advocacy
CMA Supervising Attorney Eric Krupa then introduced the panel discussion, Pathways to Advocacy, with moderator Kata Kertesz, Managing Policy Attorney, CMA; Cathy Hurwit, CMA Advisory Board; and Ed Weisbart, National Board Secretary & Missouri Chair, Physicians for a National Health Program.
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Community Voice
The Community Voice segment followed, which is an opportunity at CMA’s Summit to hear directly from a community member that CMA assisted. We heard an emotional story from Lisa Strelecky, who is a Nurse Manager at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Christine Huberty, CMA Attorney, with an introduction by Melanie Lambert, CMA Senior Medicare Advocate.
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Jamila Headley receives the Chiplin Social Justice & Advocacy Award
Jamila Headley, Executive Director of Be a Hero, received the Chiplin Social Justice & Advocacy Award after remarks from Inaugural Chiplin Awardee Ben Belton; Wendell Potter, President, Center for Health and Democracy; and CMA Co-Director David Lipschutz. Jamila’s rousing acceptance speech brought the audience to its feet in applause.
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Reporter’s Perspective
The next section of CMA’s National Voices of Medicare Summit titled Reporter’s Perspective, featured Julie Appleby, Senior Correspondent, KFF Health News along with Q&A from the audience.
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Advocacy in the Courts
CMA Senior Policy Attorney Toby Edelman then introduced the panel discussion, Advocacy in the Courts, with moderator Ali Bers, Litigation Director, CMA; Sarah Somers, Legal Director, National Health Law Program; and Maame Gyamfi, Senior Lead Attorney, AARP Foundation.
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Mouths Matter in Medicare
The final panel discussion of day, Mouths Matter in Medicare, featured Dushanka Kleinman, Professor Emerita, School of Public Health, University of Maryland; VP, Santa Fe Group; Cheryle Baptiste-Hill, President, National Dental Association; and Lisa Simon, Physician, Brigham & Women’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School Faculty.
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Elder Law Perspective
Jerry Rothkoff, Founder & Managing Attorney of Rothkoff Law Group, which serves communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, then provided an elder law perspective for CMA Summit attendees.
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Judy Stein gives the Rockefeller Lecture
The last section of CMA’s 2025 Summit featured Judy Stein, Founder & Senior Advisor of CMA, giving the Senator Jay Rockefeller Lecture, after remarks from CMA Co-Directors, David Lipschutz and Scott Perkins; CMA Board President, Judy Feder; and Frank Johns, Principal Partner at Booth, Harrington & Johns. The second standing ovation of the day followed Judy Stein’s heartfelt lecture.
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Full Summit Video
The Center for Medicare Advocacy thanks all of our Summit presenters, sponsors, supporters, and all of YOU for attending the Summit in-person or virtually.
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2025 CMA Summit Supplemental Materials
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the National Voices of Medicare Summit?
A: In 2014, CMA Founder and Senior Advisor Judith Stein created the National Voices of Medicare Summit to present a multifaceted program known for its beneficiary-focused content, the first national conference of its kind. The Summit is widely renowned as a convening of community leaders in advocacy, policy-making, philanthropy, and academia to discuss the best practices, solutions, and opportunities in efforts to advance access to comprehensive Medicare, health equity, and quality health care. All of this is inspired by, and interspersed with, the real experiences and stories of beneficiaries and caretakers.
Past Summits have featured health care and elder justice champions such as former CMS Medicare Director Meena Seshamani, former CMS Administrator Bruce Vladeck, and Medicare Directors Jonathan Blum and Sean Cavanaugh. Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Joe Courtney, and Debbie Dingell; Alfred Chiplin, Ady Barkan, Alex Lawson, Carmen Rhodes, Nicole Jorwic, Sophia Colley, Regina Blye, Rachel Madley, John Marmarou, Scott Bane, Naomi Stanhaus, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Sarita Gupta, Chris Jennings, Khelan Bhatia, Philip Marshall, Topher Spiro, Peter Thomas, Gretchen Jacobson, Frank Lin, Linda Niessen, Ben Wikler, Peter Morley, Melissa Burroughs, Afton Cissell, Jacqueline O. Berkowitz, Catherine Johnson, and Athena Jones.
Q: When was this year’s Summit?
A: The 2025 Summit was held Wednesday May 14 at KFF’s Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington DC and via live webcast.
Q: What is the Rockefeller Lecture?
A: Named in honor Senator Jay Rockefeller in recognition of his years of public service, the Rockefeller Lecture has been the centerpiece of the National Voices of Medicare Summit since its inception. Sen. Rockefeller gave the first Lecture. The lecture provides an opportunity to hear directly from a leading voice in public service with a demonstrated commitment to advancing access to equitable health care and civil rights. Representative John Lewis, Donald Berwick, E.J. Dionne Jr., Judith Feder, Tamera Luzzatto, Wendell Potter, Cathy Hurwit, Ted Kennedy Jr. and Senators Sherrod Brown and Chris Murphy have been Rockefeller Lecturers.
Q: What is the Chiplin Social Justice & Advocacy Award?
A. Alfred J. (Chip) Chiplin, Jr., the long-time managing attorney of CMA’s Washington, DC office, was an admired leader in the elder law, disability and health care rights communities. To honor the memory of Chip’s long-term advocacy and commitment to civility and justice for all members of society, CMA has established this award in his honor. The Alfred J. Chiplin, Jr., Social Justice & Advocacy Award is given annually at the Summit to an individual who works to advance civility in society and social justice for all – as Chip did for decades. Past awardees include Ai-jen Poo, Ben Belton, Wey-Wey Kwok, Josephine Kalipeni, Vanessa Hill, Ashwani Jain and Luke Liss.
Q: Who should be interested in the National Voices of Medicare Summit?
A: Staff and volunteers from local and national health care organizations, advocates, attorneys, beneficiaries, caregivers, health care providers, researchers, policymakers, media, and anyone looking to discuss best practices, solutions, and opportunities to improve the quality of life for members of their community.
Q: How can I participate in future Summits?
A: Everyone in CMA’s community has the opportunity register for free to view the live webcast of the Summit.
With Gratitude to CMA’s Generous 2025 Sponsors
Inclusivity Sponsor
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Rockefeller Lecture Sponsor
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Networking Sponsors
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Advocate Sponsors
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Panel Sponsors
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Chiplin Social Justice & Advocacy Award Sponsor
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Community Sponsor
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Program Sponsors
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Friends of the Summit
