2026 State Healthcare IT Connect Summit

The 2026 State HIT Connect Conference convenes at a pivotal moment for Medicaid and Health and Human Services (HHS) innovation. Recent federal legislation---including provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)---has introduced sweeping policy changes impacting eligibility processes, cost-sharing rules, provider payment structures, and IT system requirements. These developments intersect with ongoing modernization efforts, creating both operational challenges and opportunities for strategic alignment. Concurrently, federal initiatives such as the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem, the rollout of CMS-Aligned Networks, and a sustained emphasis on interoperability, digital identity, and responsible data use point toward a shared vision for more connected, efficient, and person-centered systems. While modernization frameworks like the Streamlined Modular Certification (SMC) process face potential uncertainty amid shifting federal priorities and fiscal constraints, states continue to advance modular procurement, intelligent automation, and implementing value based systems transformation. The expanding role of AI, real-time data exchange, and integrated cross-agency service delivery underscores a broader movement toward systemwide transformation. Now in its 16th year, the State HIT Connect Conference remains a trusted national platform for state and federal leaders, technologists, policymakers, and innovators to share progress, examine lessons learned, and align strategies that deliver smarter, more equitable health and human services.