Don’t miss your chance to learn about the latest happenings in the managed care space. Here is everything planned so far for RISE National 2026, the mega-Medicare Advantage event taking place March 23–25 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.
Pack your bags! We are headed to the happiest place on earth to celebrate our 20th year bringing together every Medicare Advantage operational discipline under one roof.
More than 1,600 leaders attend RISE National each year to exchange insights on risk adjustment, Stars, member experience, operations, and emerging regulatory expectations. And this year we’ve gone even bigger with a three-day event featuring an all-new Women’s Day, five preconference workshops, four keynotes, break out sessions in seven different tracks, as well as the fun, engaging networking events that RISE is known for.
Look at what’s planned:
Women’s Day: A new all‑in‑one experience
For 2026, RISE is reimagining its signature experience for women in Medicare Advantage leadership. Women’s Day will be held only once this year, on March 23, integrated directly into RISE National and The RISE Healthy Communities Summit. Attendance is included with your all-inclusive ticket.
Instead of a standalone event, attendees can expect the same empowering conversations, leadership coaching, and opportunities for personal renewal—all “under one roof, in one trip.” Sessions include:
- Trauma‑informed leadership after organizational crises
- Turning expertise into influence
- Fireside chat with Laura Cooley, PhD, and Namita Seth Mohta, MD, on navigating
multiple professional and personal identities - Negotiation skills workshops
- Roundtable “choose your own adventure” discussions
Deep-dive preconference workshops
Monday, March 23 will also feature full- and half-day preconference sessions covering:
- Risk adjustment practitioner training
- Advanced HCC auditing
- Government audits, enforcement, and compliance strategies for 2026
- Lean methodologies and project management
- High‑impact quality improvement methods
These workshops support teams seeking to strengthen technical expertise and compliance readiness—as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Office of Inspector General (OIG) scrutiny intensifies.
Headline keynotes: Fraud prevention, compliance, AI, and whole-person health
RISE National’s keynote lineup reflects the urgency of Medicare Advantage’s evolving regulatory environment and the growing role of technology and data.
Fraud enforcement and federal insight
Edward C. Crooke, assistant director at the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division, will outline how the federal government uses statutory and regulatory tools—particularly the False Claims Act—to pursue fraud in Medicare Advantage plans, provider groups, and vendors. He will highlight real-world schemes behind recent settlements and active cases.
Human–AI synergy in fraud prevention
Arjuna Swaminathan, chief artificial intelligence officer at HHS OIG, will explore how AI is transforming fraud detection while emphasizing that human judgment and ethical oversight remain essential.
Health and resilience from the court to the clinic
NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins will share how living with diabetes shaped his approach to performance, resilience, and whole‑person well‑being—drawing parallels to what health care organizations must do to help members thrive.
Medicare Advantage’s compliance era
Megan Tinker, chief of staff in the HHS OIG, will break down the agency’s new Industry Segment Specific Compliance Program Guidance released in February and discuss practical paths for strengthening integrity programs.
General sessions: NCQA policy and member perspectives
NCQA policy perspectives: A general session featuring NCQA leaders will cover the future of HEDIS®, Stars, and federal rules reshaping Medicare Advantage—along with NCQA’s strategic priorities in wellness, population health, and digital engagement.
What members really want: The conference concludes with a member and caregiver panel offering candid perspectives on trust, communication, access, and authentic engagement. The discussion will help plans shift from transactional interactions to meaningful relationships that support whole‑person health.
Track sessions: Seven content streams
RISE National 2026 features sessions within seven tracks tailored to Medicare Advantage professionals across disciplines:
- Risk adjustment and program integrity
- Stars, quality & member outcomes
- Value-based partnerships and provider alignment
- AI automation and data strategy
- Future of health care: Regulation to action
- Hot topics theater 1—Health care choice, personalization, kickbacks enforcement, and Veteran Affairs/Medicare Advantage coordination
- Hot topics theater 2—Behavioral health access, physician‑led programs, Medicaid transitions, and coding accuracy
Special events: Networking, lifelong learning, and giving back
RISE National also offers high-energy engagement opportunities:
- Headshot café on Tuesday, March 24 (, sponsored by Datavant—free professional headshots.
- Interactive technology roundtables—attendees rotate among presentations from leading innovators across risk, quality, and data strategy.
- Volunteer food packing event, supporting U.S. Hunger and sponsored by Signify Health.
- Networking receptions on March 23 and 24, including the “Hoops & Happy Hour” kickoff
celebrating March Madness
RISE National 2026 will take place March 23–25 at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Click here to see the full agenda, roster of speakers, and how to register