Acentra Health returned from the 16th Annual State Healthcare IT Connect Summit energized by the urgency and scale of change facing Medicaid and Health and Human Services (HHS) leaders nationwide. Held February 24–26, 2026, in New Orleans, the well-attended conference brought together state and federal leaders, technologists, and industry partners at a pivotal time for health IT transformation.
Across sessions and conversations, several themes consistently surfaced: Artificial Intelligence (AI), rural health transformation, community engagement requirements under H.R. 1, interoperability, and the operational impact of sweeping federal policy changes.
At its core, this year’s Summit reinforced a simple reality: policy change and technology modernization are no longer separate efforts; they must move forward together.
The conference convened amid significant federal changes affecting Medicaid eligibility, cost-sharing, provider payments, and IT system requirements. Provisions within H.R. 1 are reshaping how states administer programs and how technology must support them.
Eligibility systems must incorporate new work and community engagement requirements. Financial and claims platforms must align with updated payment rules. Oversight and reporting expectations continue to expand.
At the same time, federal initiatives such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Technology Ecosystem and CMS Aligned Networks emphasize interoperability, digital identity, and responsible data use, signaling a national vision for more connected, person-centered systems.
States now face a critical challenge: modernizing in ways that are compliant, scalable, and sustainable amid fiscal pressure and evolving priorities.
Artificial Intelligence in Action
AI has moved from theory to implementation. Sessions highlighted practical applications including intelligent document processing, predictive risk modeling, program integrity tools, and virtual assistants to support member engagement.
Leaders emphasized responsible AI governance, transparency, and privacy protections. Innovation is advancing—but thoughtfully.
Rural Health Transformation
Rural health remains a priority as states address workforce shortages, access gaps, and sustainability challenges. Conversations focused on telehealth expansion, value-based payment alignment, and integrating social determinants of health (SDoH) data to improve outcomes in rural communities.
Community Engagement Requirements
The work/community engagement requirements within H.R. 1 were a central operational concern. States must design communication strategies, verify employment and volunteer activities, and modify eligibility systems on aggressive timelines.
Success will require tight alignment between policy, operations, and technology.
Interoperability and Enterprise Modernization
Interoperability discussions centered on FHIR-based APIs, consumer data access, and real-time data exchange. While many states still operate within fragmented environments, the push toward modular procurement, enterprise data strategies, and integrated service delivery continues.
States are seeking flexible, interoperable solutions that avoid creating new silos while supporting measurable outcomes.
From Data to Outcomes
Cross-cutting themes included actionable analytics, health equity, program integrity, security and privacy, and organizational readiness. Leaders stressed the importance of moving beyond static reporting toward real-time insights that support whole-person, cross-agency service delivery.
The expanding use of automation, enterprise data enablement, and value-based transformation reflects a broader shift from incremental system upgrades to comprehensive modernization.
Many state leaders acknowledged the complexity of the next 12–36 months. Fiscal constraints and expanding requirements create real pressure—but the tone at State HIT Connect 2026 was one of determination.
Modernization is no longer optional. It is essential to meet new mandates, improve outcomes, and steward public resources responsibly.
For Acentra Health, the Summit reaffirmed our commitment to partnering with states to implement responsible AI, advance interoperability, and continue to deliver modern, modular, and configurable systems that enable states to quickly adapt to policy changes.
With change comes the chance to do things differently, and states are doing just that. From focusing on improving the basics to creating innovative programs, states are finding ways to take their Medicaid programs to new levels despite the challenges.