The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
The Fund identifies and shares policy ideas and analysis to advance state health leadership, strong primary care, and sustainable health care costs.
Keep up with news and updates from the Milbank Memorial Fund. And read the latest blogs from our thought leaders, including Fund President Christopher F. Koller.
The Fund publishes The Milbank Quarterly, as well as reports, issues briefs, and case studies on topics important to health policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is is a foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
Quarterly Topic
Quarterly Article
September 2025 Pankaj Jain, Bhav Jain, Rushabh Doshi, Urvish Jain, Henry Claypool, Ariana Aboulafia, Bonnielin K. Swenor,
Throughout the last 50 years, the disability rights movement has made significant progress in providing statutory protections for people with disabilities in the United States. The passage of landmark legislation, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (passed in 1975), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA; passed in 1990), has created a foundation for disability advocates to fight against discrimination and for the expanded rights of the more than 67 million people with disabilities in the United States. In the health care context specifically, there have also been statutes passed to protect patients, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA; passed in 1996) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA; passed in 2010), that have helped to provide privacy and coverage protections for all patients, including people with disabilities who may have disproportionately frequent contacts with the health care system. More
June 2025 Magdalena Cerdá, DANIEL B. NEILL, ELLICOTT C. MATTHAY, JOHNATHAN A. JENKINS, BRANDON D. L. MARSHALL, Katherine Keyes,
People in the United States are dying at record numbers from overdose. Overdose deaths increased from fewer than 17,000 deaths in 1999 to an estimated 100,000 deaths approximately 25 years after, with a peak of almost 108,000 deaths in 2022. Racial/ethnic minoritized groups are now particularly affected: in 2023, the highest rates of overdose were among non-Hispanic Black and American Indian/Alaska Native Americans. Although overdoses increasingly involve both opioids and stimulants, opioids contribute to over three-quarters of all overdose deaths, primarily driven by illegally manufactured synthetic opioids like fentanyl. More
Quarterly Opinion
February 2025 Patricia Hong, Ezekiel J. Emanuel,
Artificial intelligence technology has opened a new avenue of opportunity to augment the mental health workforce and increase access to care. More
December 2024 Federica Zavattaro, Viktor von Wyl, Felix Gille,
Public trust is critical to both system legitimacy and the successful implementation of data-driven health initiatives. Legislations are an essential instrument for building public trust, as they can have a dual effect on trust: a passive effect by reinforcing the public perception of an active regulatory system that upholds the rule of law and an active effect as a tool for policymakers to signal trust-building actions to be undertaken during the implementation phase. More
August 2024 Thelma C. Hurd, Fay Cobb Payton, Darryl B. Hood,
Artificial intelligence is being embraced as the solution to mitigate differences in health and health outcomes. More
January 2023 Gail R. Wilensky,
Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of business networks, data, and devices from cybersecurity intrusion has become a requirement in today’s business environment. It is especially important to be vigilant in protecting the end users who typically are the easiest point of entry. More
