The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports networks of state officials, advocates, and others aiming to invest in and transform primary care.
The Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs advances state-based efforts to make health care more affordable for residents, employers, and states. The program provides technical assistance through Bailit Health to states that are developing targets for per-capita trends in total health care spending statewide. Further, the program helps participating states analyze and collaboratively address the underlying drivers of cost growth. The participating states are Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. (Click or tap to see a profile of each state’s initiative.)
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) seeks to develop practical, hands-on leadership skills to enhance health policy and management abilities and knowledge. Developed in 2015 by the Fund and its Reforming States Group (RSG), the program is designed to bring together individuals from the executive and legislative branches of state government to develop skills that will enhance their effectiveness as leaders in addressing the challenges of today’s complex health policy environment. Modeled after the RSG, the ELP fosters the same type of learning and networking experience for young leaders around the country. Taught by expert trainers and policymakers, the program helps participants address the challenges and opportunities in today’s increasingly complex health policy environment. It also provides a unique opportunity to build a network of colleagues from across the country who share the goal of improving population health. To participate, individuals are nominated by state health policy leaders from the RSG.
Throughout the year-long program, Milbank Fellows will participate in two highly interactive in-person meetings and a series of virtual learning events. Fellows will have access to individualized technical assistance for themselves and their senior teams on areas of interest in addition to a library of population health and public sector leadership resources. Through the program, Fellows will:
The focuses on creating an affordable health care system built on strong primary care and partnerships that improve health outcomes for all.
The Milbank Memorial Fund aims to identify, inform and inspire current and future state health policy leaders to enhance their effectiveness. In an effort to inform and inspire, we offer publications that show how and why state leaders accomplished a policy or practice change that will lead to improved health. Along with our partner, the Center for Evidence-based Policy at Oregon Health & Science University, a national leader in evidence-based decision making and policy design, we also offer several tools for policymakers, such as state technical assistance.
Good primary care is essential to improving population health. The Milbank Memorial Fund approaches strengthening primary care from two angles: 1) increasing primary care investment, and 2) improving primary care delivery with payment reform that is coordinated across all payers. Research shows that an underinvestment in primary care is one of several reasons why the US health care system yields poorer population health outcomes than other countries. The Milbank Memorial Fund is supporting policymakers who want to learn more about and use primary care spending measures to gauge the level of primary care investment overall and by major payer group. Measure primary care spending, or the portion of health care dollars that go to primary care, is one way to establish how strongly a state is committed to primary care. Practical steps toward generating statewide primary care spending measures include determining how to define primary care, how to collect and analyze the necessary data, and what policy levers need to be in place to implement the measure. The Milbank Memorial Fund also supports multipayer primary care transformation. Our Multipayer Primary Care Network is a forum for payers and other stakeholders to share data, participate in collaborative learning, and advocate for improved collaboration between the states and the federal government on new and ongoing primary care initiatives.
Keep up with news and updates from the Milbank Memorial Fund. And read the latest posts from our staff and guest authors.
Short takes on state health policy
Insights from Milbank President Debra Lubar.
Reported articles and Milbank updates
Webinars with health researchers and policymakers
The Milbank Memorial Fund is an endowed operating foundation that aims to improve population health by connecting leaders and decision makers with the best available evidence and experience. It does this work by:
The Fund publishes <i>The Milbank Quarterly</i>, as well as reports, issues briefs, and case studies on topics important to health policy leaders.
Despite evidence that primary care improves the health of populations and reduces health inequities, primary care in the United States is in a vulnerable position, according to an April 2021 report from National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on Implementing High-Quality Primary Care. The Milbank Memorial Fund and The Physicians Foundation have partnered with the Robert Graham Center to develop an annual “Health of US Primary Care Scorecard” to measure the implementation of high-quality primary care and inform national and state policy. See the Advisory Committee members, who informed measure selection and review the findings. Read the first Scorecard report and view the data dashboard.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is a foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
At the Milbank Memorial Fund, we’re committed to improving population health. Our email updates will keep you informed about topics that state health policymakers have identified as important to their work, particularly issues related to primary care, aging, and total costs of care. You’ll also find out about the latest studies and commentaries published in The Milbank Quarterly, the leading, multi-disciplinary health policy journal we publish. As you’ll see, our work embodies our commitment to objectivity, community, sustainability, and leadership. Thank you for joining us as we work together to improve the health of populations. If you are a reporter and have a media inquiry, please email Communications Director Christine Haran at charan@milbank.org or call 212-355-8400.
Neil K. Mehta is Professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch. Neil’s research lies at the intersection of demography, sociology, and epidemiology with a focus on the health and wellbeing of older adults. He has topical expertise in the areas of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immigrant health. Neil directs the NIA-funded TRENDS network on old-aged dementia and disability sponsored by the University of Michigan with funding from the National Institute on Aging. He previously was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at the University of Michigan and has served on the faculties of Emory University and the University of Michigan. He holds a PhD and MA in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BA from Oberlin College.
January 2025