The end of fragmented care
Resilience on a budget: Smarter government healthcare in lean times
For decades in America, public healthcare programs have operated in silos, each built to solve a specific problem: Medicaid for healthcare coverage, SNAP for nutrition support, TANF for temporary financial assistance and a patchwork of other systems for everything in between. People often rely on multiple services at once, facing urgent needs while navigating a system that feels anything but coordinated.
This fragmentation is not just an inconvenience. It creates real barriers to care, burying individuals under layers of paperwork, redundant verifications and disconnected channels. At a time when trust in public institutions is fragile and needs are growing more complex, the legacy models are no longer tenable.
Today, policymakers are climbing an uphill battle that goes beyond technology. They face major healthcare funding uncertainty fueled by proposed federal cuts and rising program costs. The House has introduced a budget proposed to slash federal Medicaid spending by $880 billion over the next decade, forcing states to either raise their own funding or reduce services. California is grappling with a $6.2 billion Medi-Cal shortfall, while Indiana faces a $2 billion budget gap. SNAP is also under threat, with $230 billion in cuts proposed, putting food assistance for over 40 million Americans at risk. Against this backdrop, states must modernize to be smarter, not bigger, as a means of sustaining vital services.
A different approach is emerging, one that reimagines modernization around a simple principle: place the member first.
Why member-centered systems work better
When systems are built around people, complexity begins to demonstrate a clearer pathway.
A member-first approach means designing access points that follow individuals across programs rather than forcing them to start over at each door. It means reducing duplicative data collection, automating eligibility across services and delivering support through the channels people already use. Most often, smartphones or other tech-enabled solutions.
It also means that agencies are not just optimizing administrative efficiency. They are rebuilding trust, lowering the barriers to help and making it more likely that people will stay engaged with preventive care, mental health support and other critical services that sustain both individual and community health.
The impact is not only human; it is financial. Systems that are easier to navigate tend to be systems that are easier to maintain, monitor and fund.
Related: Two states leading the way in SNAP EBT modernization, fraud prevention
Complexity is a policy choice
Healthcare complexity is often treated as inevitable. It is not. Every form, every eligibility check, every case management system is the result of a series of policy choices. Many were made decades ago, when technology was limited and case volumes were lower and interconnecting policies simpler.
Today, the tools to simplify exist. Secure digital identity verification, real-time data sharing and automated workflows can replace manual handoffs and paper-heavy processes. APIs allow agencies to verify income, household composition and eligibility status instantly, without requiring members to dig up documents or make repeated office visits.
The difference is a matter of intention. Agencies that prioritize member experience as a design principle rather than an afterthought are the ones making the most meaningful gains in efficiency and outcomes alike.
Related: Enhancing health outcomes through advanced Medicaid solutions
Smarter modernization, not bigger systems
The temptation in modernization efforts is often to think big: large-scale system overhauls, massive procurement projects and long timelines that leave agencies vulnerable to changing political and funding winds.
The more sustainable path is to think incrementally. Focus first on high-friction points where members experience the greatest barriers (eligibility determinations, claims processing, travel assistance reimbursements) and introduce targeted solutions that work alongside existing infrastructure.
This stepwise approach is not only less risky, but it also allows agencies to deliver visible wins faster. Members notice when paper forms give way to text messages. They notice when approvals come in days rather than weeks. These moments build confidence, both among residents and within agencies themselves, that modernization is possible without disruption or loss of service.
Why the future depends on member-first thinking
Modernization is not a technology project. It is a public trust project.
As pressures on healthcare systems grow, the agencies that thrive will be those that invest not just in digital tools, but in person-centered design. They will view every modernization decision through the lens of how it reduces burden, accelerates access, and strengthens the relationship between individuals and the programs designed to serve them.
With funding uncertainty at an all-time high, states cannot afford to delay modernization. Now is the moment to invest in smarter, more efficient systems that lower administrative costs while protecting resident care. Every dollar saved through streamlined eligibility, automated workflows and integrated case management is a dollar that can stay focused on serving people, not paper.
In a climate where federal support is shrinking and budget gaps are widening, modernization isn’t a luxury, it’s a financial and moral imperative. States that act now can maintain vital services, build public trust and emerge stronger in the face of economic pressure.
Ready to reimagine what’s possible?
Learn how thoughtful, member-centered modernization can transform access, rebuild trust and create healthier communities. Learn more now by visiting https://www.conduent.com/government-solutions/medicaid-public-health-solutions/.