Health tech companies announce new alliance to assist Rural Health Transformation Program

Science, health care and technology companies announced a new coalition to assist states as they carry out programs funded by the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) and aligned organizations announced the new Alliance for Advancing Rural Healthcare. The other members are Arcadia, Castlight Health, Covista, Mission Mobile Medical, Telemedicine.com, TruBridge, and Walgreens. They will “help state and local markets address persistent community health care challenges they face and support their efforts to modernize and sustain rural health care delivery,” the SAIC news release said.

The $50 billion federal program will be overseen by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The amount of money is substantial, “but funding alone does not deliver tangible results,” Srini Attili, SAIC executive vice president of the Civilian Business Group, said in the news release.

“The RHT Program is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for states to fundamentally strengthen rural health care,” Attili said. “We brought together the visionary AARH partners to help states move from strategy to execution, ensuring that RHT Program goals translate into measurable, sustainable improvements for rural communities.”

Big goals for America’s rural health

CMS has announced the state awards, starting with hundreds of millions of dollars spread around the nation. Some states mentioned primary care objectives specifically in their applications. The states are expected to have measurable goals and outcomes for programs that address objectives such as expanding preventive and chronic disease management services, to improving telehealth and data interoperability, to developing innovative payment and care models.

Organizational roles

SAIC said the Alliance for Advancing Rural Healthcare will work directly with state governments, health care providers and local organizations to support program implementation nationwide. The company, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, said the new alliance reflects a broader strategy of applying data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and network infrastructure to large-scale public sector initiatives, including health care transformation programs.

The announcement included descriptions of the roles and services of each of the participating organizations. For example, SAIC will integrate artificial intelligence (AI), data management, network infrastructure, and cybersecurity solutions to protect critical provider systems and enable coordinated, scalable, and outcomes-driven solutions.

Arcadia drives measurable, repeatable improvements in provider cost, quality, and operational performance.

“By bringing clarity to fragmented data, Arcadia turns intelligence into accountable actions and aligns teams around shared goals. The result is sustainable outcomes at scale, supported by data, analytics, AI, and benchmarks,” the Alliance’s official description said.

“Arcadia leads the analytics and value-based care component of the Alliance for Advancing Rural Healthcare,” Arcadia President and CEO Michael Meucci said in a statement.

“As states move from planning to implementation, they need a clear way to measure performance across cost, quality, access, and sustainability,” Meucci said. “We help integrate fragmented clinical, claims, and community data into a single foundation and embed that insight into workflows used by providers and public partners. That enables states to demonstrate progress tied directly to RHT goals and ensure transformation efforts are accountable and sustainable over time.”

For the other participating organizations:

• Castlight Health will deliver digital care navigation to improve access, engagement, and continuity of care. Its clinical arm, Vera Whole Health, will supply advanced primary care.
• Covista has become America's largest health care educator, graduating more than 24,000 health care professionals annually from five accredited institutions. It will address critical workforce needs by partnering with health systems to place graduates in underserved communities, improving access to care closer to home.
• Mission Mobile Medical expands health care access through mobile and community-based care delivery, reaching patients where care is otherwise limited or unavailable.
• Telemedicine.com delivers comprehensive telemedicine systems and software solutions, medical devices, remote patient monitoring, and clinician staffing for in-person, virtual, or hybrid clinical programs. The goal is to transform access to clinical care and supporting health management for rural populations.
• TruBridge, the nation’s largest rural-focused health care network, supports rural and community hospitals. The company offers purpose-built solutions including revenue cycle management technology, electronic health records, and specialized services that strengthen financial sustainability and protect access to care.
• Walgreens provides essential care to areas facing severe provider shortages through pharmacies embedded in communities and virtual platforms. The pharmacists serve as of care for preventive services, acute illness, chronic conditions, and specialty therapies, while serving as a member of a broader care team.