The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medication Innovation (“Innovation Center”) announced the 2024 Rural Health Hackathon – a series of in-person, collaborative sessions designed to generate and construct creative and actionable ideas to address rural health challenges.

The 2024 Hackathon builds on CMS’ extensive outreach to rural communities through site visits and listening sessions to better understand rural health care issues. Through these solution-oriented events, the CMS Innovation Center will bring together rural health community care providers, community organizations, industry and tech entrepreneurs, funders, policy experts, and beneficiaries to leverage the wisdom and experience of the crowd.

Hackathon attendees will generate new ideas to address some of the top challenges impacting health care in rural health settings and drive action to improve clinical outcomes, increase access, and better care experience for both patients and providers in rural communities.

Interested parties have two ways to participate:

  • In-Person Hackathon: Engage with other dedicated experts to solve some of the toughest challenges facing rural communities through one of the in-person convenings hosted in three cities this summer:
    • Wilson, North Carolina: August 29, 2024Please note that there is no virtual option for these events due to their collaborative, hands-on structure.
  • Virtual Idea Submission: Submit your written concepts to address top rural health challenges using this form.  All concepts must be submitted no later than September 9, 2024, at 11:59PM EST. Please note that late submissions will not be considered.

Top ideas with greatest opportunity for action will be highlighted in a public CMS Innovation Center report and connected with leading health policymakers and potential private or non-profit partners in the field. See below for details on how to participate.

Learn more about this opportunity here.