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
Publication
February 2025 Yalda Jabbarpour, Anuradha Jetty, Hoon Byun, Anam Siddiqi, Jeongyoung Park,
This 2025 Primary Care Scorecard spotlights the downward cycle of financing for primary care, describing how persistent challenges in primary care arise from insufficient investment (or in the case of training, misplaced investment) and a fee-for-service (FFS) payment model that rewards volume rather than continuous, whole-person care. This report highlights how these systemic financial issues not only undermine the effectiveness of primary care delivery but, more importantly, jeopardize the overall health of our communities in the following ways. More
February 2025 Robert Seifert, Emma Rourke, Mary Jo Condon,
This report describes the experiences of states that have designed and implemented policies to pursue these multiple targets and gathers lessons from their experiences to inform future policy development. Interviews with state officials and a multi-state convening revealed the strategies states used to establish their targets and their experiences implementing them. Officials described challenges to implementation and efforts to overcome them. More
Event
February 2025 Mary Louise Gilburg,
As the nation faces a widespread surge in chronic diseases and more people report not being able to see a clinician who knows them, the third… More
Blog Post
October 2024 Art Kaufman, Craig Jones, Howard Haft,
The Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ) has released applications for funding up to 15 state-based health extension cooperatives, a key component of AHRQ’s newly launched Healthcare Extension Service. More
September 2024 Aditya Mahalingam-Dhingra, Vikki Wachino, Kim Prendergast,
The authors offer guidelines on designing successful value-based payment contracts for FQHCs and recommend action steps for CMS, state Medicaid agencies, and FQHCs that will enable more of these safety-net providers to participate in value-based care — and realize savings as well as improved quality for patients. More
June 2024 Rachel Block,
“If this is love I want my money back” – Hot Tuna This sentiment may well capture the mood in US primary care today. The 2021 National… More
May 2024 Lauryn Walker, Lisa Dulsky Watkins, Christopher F. Koller,
States should consider six key activities to prioritize resources and use their authority most effectively. More
May 2024 Lauryn Walker, Shannon Dowler, Barbra Rabson, Bob Rauner,
This brief provides seven recommendations for how the federal government can support states in their primary care reform efforts. More
News Article
April 2024 Christopher F. Koller,
In an April 15, 2024, Opinion in Healthcare Dive, Christopher Koller, president of the Milbank Memorial Fund; Kyu Rhee, president and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers; and R. Shawn Martin, executive vice president and CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians, explain that chronic disinvestment and inadequate training have created a shortage of primary care workers. More
March 2024 Christopher F. Koller,
Ed McGookin had a big problem. Coastal Medical, the 150-physician medical group in Rhode Island that he leads, was facing more competition… More