Across the country, hospitals, clinics, and care providers are being asked to deliver more services with fewer resources. Behind many of those systems, Acentra Health is helping government agencies and commercial organizations modernize the way care is delivered, managed, and improved.
Formed in 2023 through the combination of CNSI and Kepro, Acentra Health brought together decades of experience in Medicaid technology and clinical services to create a broader vision centered on whole-person and whole-population health. Today, the McLean-based company serves more than 173 million beneficiaries through partnerships with more than 40 state agencies and 15 federal clients, supported by a workforce of over 3,300 employees and 1,100 licensed clinicians across more than 69 specialties.
Beyond the systems themselves lies a larger opportunity, one that CEO Todd Stottlemyer believes can transform outcomes. “We are relentlessly focused on accelerating better health outcomes,” he says. “Everything we do is aimed at helping our clients better serve the people who depend on them.”
Where Technology Meets Clinical Expertise
What began as the coming together of two organizations soon evolved into something far greater. While one organization brought extensive experience in claims management, encounter processing, and provider systems, the other contributed deep clinical expertise. Bringing technology and clinical expertise together gave the organization a more complete view of population health.
As the two sides of the business came together, a unified data platform emerged, connecting Medicaid enterprise systems with clinical solutions. Population-level insights help clients identify areas requiring immediate attention and make more informed decisions about program development and care delivery. “Providing the right care in the right place at the right time requires better information,” Stottlemyer says. “That is where technology becomes a powerful force for improving outcomes.”
Built for Continuous Modernization
Long before artificial intelligence became a household phrase, the organization had already begun weaving machine learning and AI into its operations. Purpose has always mattered as much as technology, a philosophy that drove those early investments and continues to shape the company’s approach today.
“Innovation only matters when it helps create better outcomes for the people our clients serve,” he says.
Keeping up with changing requirements and emerging technologies requires flexibility, which is why the organization has invested in a cloud-based platform at the heart of its modernization efforts. With its modular architecture and configurable capabilities, the platform enables organizations to implement policy changes without disrupting existing operations. Advanced analytics provide real-time insights that improve decision-making and strengthen coordination across stakeholders.
Equipped with those capabilities, clients have been able to replace aging systems with dynamic, data-driven environments prepared for future demands.
A Cloud-First Mindset
Years before many competitors made the shift, the organization placed an early bet on cloud technology. Working alongside Michigan and Illinois, the company helped develop the nation’s first cloud-based Medicaid Management Information System, creating a model that allowed states to share infrastructure rather than maintain costly standalone systems.
Designed to lower costs and speed implementation, the model also created a framework capable of scaling with growing demand. It established the technical foundation needed to support advanced analytics and, eventually, AI-driven capabilities.
Guided by strong governance principles, the next wave of innovation is already taking shape through expanding applications for agentic AI. “We believe innovation must be scalable and responsible,” he says. “Trust remains essential when introducing new technologies into healthcare.”
Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem
Few regions offer the combination of talent and technological momentum found in Northern Virginia, something that has helped fuel the company’s continued growth. Recognition as an NVTC AI50 organization highlighted the work being led by Chief AI Officer Sean Harrison and reinforced the company’s position at the forefront of applied AI. Questions surrounding ethics, governance, and real-world applications prompted the organization to establish an internal AI council three years ago. That work later expanded into the Safe AI in Medicaid Alliance, created alongside Arizona, Washington, and partners including AWS, McKinsey, and Arcadia. Today, the alliance includes more than 400 members, 36 states, and one territory.
Built around shared learning and practical implementation, the alliance provides states with guidance to support responsible AI adoption and stronger outcomes for Medicaid populations. Recognition has followed that growth, with honors that include placement on the Washington Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Companies list, inclusion on NVTC’s Tech100, and Modern Healthcare’s Best in Business awards in the Healthcare IT category.
Improving Outcomes at Scale
With healthcare systems facing mounting pressures and increasing complexity, modernization is no longer optional. “Acentra Health is positioned to help clients navigate that transformation,” Stottlemyer says. “By anticipating change and working closely with strong partners, we can continue delivering meaningful improvements for the populations our clients serve.”
Few industries are changing as rapidly as healthcare, creating new opportunities for the organization to help clients adapt while improving the systems that millions of people rely on every day. Looking ahead, Acentra Health remains guided by the same principle that inspired its creation: using technology and deep expertise to help clients deliver better care and create healthier communities across the country.
“Innovation only matters when it improves outcomes.”
