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.
The Milbank Memorial Fund has published reports since early in the last century. Today, the Fund publishes reports, issue briefs, and case studies, as well as reported articles and short-form States of Health and On Balance: Policies for Health posts. If you would like to suggest a publication idea within our key areas of state health leadership, primary care transformation, or health care affordability, please email Communications Director Christine Haran at charan@milbank.org. The Milbank Memorial Fund also publishes The Milbank Quarterly, an independent peer-reviewed journal of population health and health policy. Article submission instructions for the journal are available on the For Authors page.
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Issue Brief
June 2026
This Spotlight Brief demonstrates the health and economic impacts of heat emergencies, using a summer heat wave as a case study. More
April 2026 Miriam Sheinbein, Chris Esguerra, Colleen Murphey, Luarnie Bermudo, Mat Thomas,
Health systems that invest in primary care have better and more equitable health outcomes. Yet primary care faces a crisis (characterized by chronic underinvestment and significant workforce shortages), and that crisis has led to pervasive clinician burnout and reduced access to vital care, especially for populations who have a low income, are elderly, and identify as minorities. More
April 2026 Lori Rodefeld, Emily M. Hawes, Raquel Davis, Shelby Rimmler-Cohen, Heidi B. Miller, Mary Alice Scott, Mukesh Adhikari, Erin Fraher,
This evidence-based framework organizes a GME growth strategy into five iterative stages: exploration, strategy development, strategy design, technical assistance, and optimization. More
September 2025 Nathan Hostert, Andrew M. Ryan,
A recent study finds that Rhode Island’s affordability standards, which apply only to the fully insured market, have led to a 9% relative reduction in hospital prices across the entire commercial market. More
September 2025 Christopher F. Koller, Diana Bianco, Katie Greene, Maddy Hraber, Sandra Wilkniss,
This report provides state leaders with a range of policy options states can use to strengthen primary care across geopolitically diverse contexts. More
August 2025 Nathan Hostert,
In the first half of 2025, states enacted numerous laws to strengthen their health care markets. These new laws address several recurring policy issues affecting states across the country, including skyrocketing health care costs, increased consolidation in the healthcare sector, and the heightened penetration of private equity in health care systems. This brief highlights trends in state health policy across four major themes and identifies states that have made significant reforms in each of these areas this year. More
June 2025 Grace Flaherty, January Angeles,
This issue brief examines how three of these states —Massachusetts, Oregon, and California — have strengthened cost growth target accountability. It also highlights five states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Oregon — that have leveraged their cost growth targets in other health care oversight programs. More
June 2025 Brianna Van Stekelenburg, Rebecca G. Whitaker, Samantha Repka, Emily Proehl, Catie Armstrong, Aparna Higgins, Elizabeth Kasper, Leonard A. Croom, Janelle White, Hilary Campbell, Robert S. Saunders,
Many health providers are interested in making the shift to value-based payment (VBP), as these models can give greater flexibility in providing whole-person care, but administrative burden, variation in payer contracts, and a rapidly changing policy environment can impede their participation and success in these models. Streamlining the administration of payment models and adding supports like data sharing across payers and providers can make it easier for organizations by enabling more flexibility in care delivery, timely access to actionable information, and increased support for the health care workforce. More
April 2025 Hoangmai H. Pham, Wayne Jonas, Mark Smith,
This brief identifies beliefs and common practices in health care culture that the authors suggest have hindered the spread of these models, as well as opportunities for the policymakers and influencers, payers, and clinicians to support whole-person health. More
April 2025 Hayden Rooke-Ley, Megha Reddy, Neil Mehta, Yashaswini Singh, Erin C. Fuse Brown,
Private equity firms, insurance companies, and other corporate entities are using MSOs to bypass state prohibitions on the corporate practice of medicine, allowing large corporations to functionally own medical practices and influence clinical care. More