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.
Focus Area
Blog Post
September 2026 Debra Lubar,
I hate moving: Going through everything you own, boxing the good stuff, parting with big swaths of stuff, and then doing the whole thing in reverse… More
August 2026 Michelle Munroe, Peter Johnson,
More than 2.3 million women of reproductive age live in maternity care deserts — counties with no hospitals offering obstetric care and no OB-GYN or certified nurse-midwife in practice. More
August 2026 Pantelis Paliouras,
Using estimates from RAND Health, our new Data Dashboard shows at a high level how state Medicaid funds will be affected by changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill. More
Publication
July 2026 Hayley Piazza,
Introduction Housing instability and unaffordability are contributing to adverse outcomes across a wide range of health domains. In a Milbank… More
July 2026 Franz Fuchs, Morgan McDonald,
Emergency medical services (EMS) are basic lifesaving infrastructure for any community. More
July 2026 Alida Austin, Katie M. Huber, Brianna Van Stekelenburg, Kody H. Kinsley, Rebecca G. Whitaker,
North Carolina’s Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOP) program, which was paused in July 2025 due to state funding constraints, tested whether providing evidence-based services to address upstream drivers of health for eligible Medicaid members could improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and address disparities in three predominantly rural regions of the state. More
July 2026 K. John McConnell, Hyunjee Kim, STEPHAN R. LINDNER, Jane M. Zhu, David DiGiuseppe, Hayden Rooke-Ley,
As states brace for federal funding cuts and potentially large disenrollments in Medicaid, this report assesses the extent to which Medicaid managed care delivers value across its core functions: reducing financial risk for states; utilization management; network formation; care management; quality improvement; and paying for claims. More
July 2026 Lori Rodefeld, Raquel Davis, Erin Fraher, Heidi B. Miller, Shelby Rimmler-Cohen, Mary Alice Scott, Mukesh Adhikari, Emily M. Hawes,
Physician workforce shortages are limiting access to health care in nearly every state, with underserved and rural areas facing the greatest shortfalls. More
July 2026 Debra Lubar,
My second job at CDC was running policy for the chronic disease center. More
June 2026
This Spotlight Brief demonstrates the health and economic impacts of heat emergencies, using a summer heat wave as a case study. More