Puerto Rico gathered federal and state leaders, healthcare experts and policymakers at the Puerto Rico Health Policy Conference 2026 to discuss the future of healthcare funding, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and the sustainability of the Island´s healthcare system.
Puerto Rico became the center of healthcare policy discussions in the United States and its territories today with the celebration of the Puerto Rico Health Policy Conference 2026, held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, Ballroom B, in San Juan.
The event, organized by the Puerto Rico Department of Health and the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration (ASES), brings together government leaders, federal officials, Medicaid and Medicare experts, hospital executives, insurers and specialists in healthcare technology and regulatory compliance to discuss the future of Puerto Rico´s healthcare system and federal healthcare funding.
The conference officially opened with remarks from Puerto Rico Secretary of Health Dr. Víctor M. Ramos Otero and Carlos Santiago Rosario, Executive Director of ASES and Director of Puerto Rico´s Medicaid Program.
The Puerto Rico Health Policy Conference 2026 focuses on several critical issues affecting the sustainability of Puerto Rico´s healthcare system, including:
· Medicaid and Medicare Advantage: Puerto Rico as a healthcare model
· Federal and state healthcare strengthening strategies
· Medicaid fraud prevention and enforcement
· Health information system modernization
· Healthcare technology, interoperability and electronic medical acquisition systems
· Federal healthcare policy and Washington D.C. strategies
· Hospital sustainability and healthcare financial stability
One of the featured sessions, "PR Medicaid: Leading the ´Crush Fraud´ Strategy with State and Federal Forces," focuses on fraud prevention efforts through collaboration between Puerto Rico and federal agencies.
The conference also includes discussions regarding Puerto Rico´s healthcare agenda in Washington D.C. and federal affairs strategies aimed at protecting the Island´s healthcare interests before Congress and federal agencies.
The conference includes major state and federal officials and healthcare leaders, including:
· Dr. Víctor M. Ramos Otero — Puerto Rico Secretary of Health
· Carlos Santiago Rosario, Esq. — Executive Director of ASES and Director of Puerto Rico Medicaid Program
· Hon. Jenniffer González Colón — Governor of Puerto Rico and keynote speaker
· Gabriella Boffelli — Executive Director of PRFAA
· Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández
Federal agencies and regulatory entities participating include:
· Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
· U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)
· Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
· Social Security Administration (SSA)
Among the participating officials and experts are:
· Agent Shannon Muldrow — FBI
· Agent Fernando Vázquez — HHS-OIG
· Luis Freire Borges — Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
· Sean J. Fry — SSA Health IT, Law and Policy
· Henry R. Shoemaker — SSA Disability Adjudication
· Nicole Bure — SSA
· Jacobo Marrero Torres — Disability Determination Services
Representatives from hospitals, insurers, primary care centers, community pharmacies and Puerto Rico´s medical industry are also participating throughout the event.
The Puerto Rico Health Policy Conference 2026 takes place at a critical moment as Puerto Rico faces growing concerns regarding the future of Medicaid and Medicare federal funding, especially with the possibility of a future fiscal cliff if Congress does not renew special funding allocations for the Island.
Healthcare leaders attending the conference emphasized that the discussions taking place today could directly impact hospitals, physicians, insurers, pharmacies, community health centers and more than one million Vital Plan beneficiaries across Puerto Rico.
The conference also positions Puerto Rico as a strategic platform for broader discussions involving public health innovation, digital transformation, fraud prevention, government efficiency and modernization of healthcare systems throughout the United States and its territories.
Editorial Note: This article was translated by Medicina y Salud Pública (MSP) Magazine using artificial intelligence tools to expand access to information.
