The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
A bipartisan group of state health policymakers from both the executive and legislative branches who are focused on improving population health.
Networks of state officials, advocates, and others aiming to invest in and transform primary care.
A program dedicated to advancing state-based efforts to make health care more affordable for residents, employers, and states.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
A leadership development program for early and mid-career state government officials who are committed to improving the health of all people in their communities.
A leadership program for senior state government officials who are committed to improving population health.
The Fund focuses on creating an affordable health care system built on strong primary care and partnerships that improve health outcomes for all.
Improving state leaders’ ability to enact and implement evidence-based health policies.
Advancing policies that create a more prevention- and primary care-oriented health system.
Improving population health through policies that contain health care cost growth.
Our state health policy resources offer relevant data analysis and best practices.
The Fund publishes reports, issues briefs, and case studies on state health policy issues.
Short takes on health policy issues from Milbank staff and guest authors.
Insights from Milbank President Debra Lubar on state health policymaking.
Reported articles and Q&As on timely health policy issues, as well as foundation updates.
Milbank Memorial Fund and Milbank Quarterly webinars featuring state health policymakers and researchers.
Updates and expert contact information for reporters.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is a private foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
US life expectancy is shorter than in other high-income countries and varies widely between states. In a Milbank Quarterly article from the special issue, Disease Burden, Mortality, and Life Expectancy in the United States: What Can State Policymakers Do to Meet the Challenges?, Steven Woolf, MD, MPH, of the Virginia Commonwealth University uses data from the US Mortality Database and the United Nations to compare the life expectancy in US states and other countries. Woolf shows that in 2021, Hawaii’s life expectancy rate of 81 was comparable to high-income countries like the UK, Germany, and Greece, while life expectancy in West Virginia and Mississippi, age 71, resembled that of Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, and Iraq. It also was lower than in impoverished countries such as North Korea and Syria.
The analysis also points out that US life expectancy disparities by state have widened over last 25 years. This gap has grown while political polarization, including variation in labor and immigration policies, across states has widened, with right-leaning states seeing worse life expectancy rates. Factors such as poverty, educational attainment, and higher rates of smoking and obesity also likely contribute to differing health outcomes.
Data: United States Fertility and Mortality Database. Barbieri M, Winant C. U.S State Life Tables CSV + TXT 1941-2022. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/19WYUX. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024).