As open enrollment unfolds, early 2026 coverage trends are emerging. They offer the first real glimpse into how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and federal regulatory changes may affect what coverage costs, what plans offer, and access across Texas. These emerging patterns have meaningful implications for primary care.  They impact continuous coverage, practice sustainability, and workforce pressure.

Join the Texas Primary Care Consortium for a timely conversation that will begin with a brief data snapshot, followed by a cross-sector panel to contextualize implications. Together, we will explore what these coverage changes may mean for primary care access, affordability, and the year ahead.

Learning Objectives:
1) Identify early 2026 open enrollment trends and understand their connection to OBBBA provisions and federal regulatory changes.  
2) Anticipate potential impacts on primary care access, patient mix, and affordability.
3) Hear cross-sector perspectives on navigating coverage changes as they continue to unfold.

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‍Speakers

Ankit Sanghavi, MPH, BDS
Executive Director – Texas Health Institute

Ankit currently serves as the Executive Director of Texas Health Institute and Co-Lead of the Texas Primary Care Consortium. Previously, he served as the Director of Community and Oral Health Program at THI. Ankit provides leadership and direction on all Texas Health Institute initiatives and develops collaborative efforts with its local, state, and national partners. Ankit earned a Master of Public Health from Texas A&M University in 2014 and Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences India in 2011. His professional interests are research, innovation, and data in public health and healthcare.

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Stacey Pogue
Senior Research Fellow – Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy

Stacey Pogue is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Her current research is focused on behavioral health care access, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and health care cost containment policies.

Before joining the Georgetown faculty in 2024, Stacey worked at Every Texan, where she provided policy expertise and direction for the organization’s advocacy and research on health care access. Her work focused on health coverage affordability, adequacy, equity, and enrollment, with a focus on lower-income, uninsured, and marginalized communities. She testified before the Texas Legislature frequently, and her analysis was often featured by state and national media outlets. In 2010 and 2011, she served as an appointed consumer representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Prior roles include working on health coverage initiatives at both the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Insurance.

Stacey holds degrees from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

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Joe Melgar
Chief Financial Officer – Community Health Centers of South Central Texas

Joe Melgar, CFO, has been with Community Health Centers of South Central Texas for over 15 years and brings a strong understanding of community health center operations and organizational leadership. Over the course of his tenure, he has held a variety of operational and leadership roles, giving him a well-rounded perspective on how policy and operational decisions impact day-to-day clinic functions. In prior experience as a Certified Application Counselor, Joe supported patients with ACA Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment, providing him with firsthand insight into how eligibility and enrollment changes affect patient access to care, clinic workflows, and the financial sustainability of community health centers.

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Jamie Dudensing
Chief Executive Officer – Texas Association of Health Plans

Jamie Dudensing is the chief executive officer of the Texas Association of Health Plans. As an advocate for public and private health plans, Jamie is dedicated to improving access to quality health care for the uninsured and committed to enhancing consumer choice and the affordability of health insurance for all Texans.

Jamie, a graduate of both the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs and Texas Tech School of Nursing, began her career in Austin after being recruited to become the Capitol nurse. After gaining a Master’s in Public Affairs from the LBJ School, she served two sessions as the Health and Human Services Budget Analyst on the House Appropriations Committee. She then joined Lt. Governor Dewhurst's staff, where she first served as Senior Advisor for Budget and Policy. Most recently, Jamie served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director for Lt. Governor Dewhurst.

With almost two decades of engagement in health care and appropriations policy, Jamie provides TAHP with an extensive record of coordinating legislative strategies, testifying before legislative committees, and working closely with state agency administrators to formulate and implement policy.

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This webinar is produced by the Texas Primary Care Consortium with support from Episcopal Health Foundation, St. David’s Foundation, Texas Academy of Family Physicians, Texas Association of Health Plans, and TMF Health Quality Institute.

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