2026 State Healthcare IT Connect Summit

Hyatt Regency | Hotel Information

2026 State HIT Connect Conference (In-Person ONLY)

HHS Ecosystem Transformation: Interoperable. Accountable. Ready.

February 23-26, Hyatt Regency, New Orleans

Agenda-at-a-glance

Monday Feb 23: Exhibitor Move-In, Pre-Conference Program (TBA)

Tuesday Feb 24: Summit (Day 1), 7.00 AM-6 PM CDT

Wednesday Feb 25: Summit (Day 2), 7.00 AM-6 PM CDT

Thursday Feb 26: Summit (Day 3), 7.00 AM-1 PM CDT

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.

2026 Tracks Include:

Track 1: MES Procurement & Value-Based Systems Transformation

Track 2: Interoperability, CMS Health Tech Ecosystem Implementation

Track 3: Person-Centered Intelligence & Enterprise Data Enablement

Track 4: Trust, Program Integrity & Responsible Data Use

Track 5: Modernizing Marketplaces, Managed Care & Benefit Portability

Track 6: AI-Powered Transformation & Intelligent Automation

Cross-Cutting Agenda Themes: Actionable Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Certification, Consumer Data Access, Data Quality, Evolving Procurement Approaches, Harnessing Innovation, Health Equity, Interoperability, Outcomes, Organizational Development, Program & Business Metrics, Program Responsiveness/Agility, Public Health Modernization, Security, and Privacy, SDoH.