KFF

06/02/2026

Optum CEO Dr. Patrick Conway reflects on the patients who fall through the cracks — and shares why he believes AI can play a critical role in helping clinicians and health care systems better serve patients beyond individual encounters.

Hear more in the full podcast episode: https://on.kff.org/4e0pSXE

05/31/2026

What we’re watching:

As hantavirus cases emerged in early May, so did familiar false claims about causes and cures. The outbreak’s accompanying narratives aren’t new: Researchers and fact-checkers have documented nearly identical claims in response to COVID-19, mpox, and avian flu, often with the same social media accounts recycling framing across new outbreaks.

Plus, according to a new analysis examined by The Monitor, most Americans who follow health influencers are skeptical of what they hear from them.

Read and subscribe to The Monitor:

A hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch cruise ship in early May was followed by false health claims that mirror patterns documented in previous outbreaks. The Monitor also examines a new analysis of Americans' relationship with health and wellness infl...

05/30/2026

Dr. Michael Schlosser — Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at HCA Healthcare — breaks down the gap between the hype around what AI could do and the reality of what it takes to deploy agentic AI in health care delivery systems.

Catch the full conversation in our latest episode: https://on.kff.org/4dMjpzk

05/29/2026

North Carolina's new Medicaid law requires longer lookback periods to verify compliance with work requirements, monthly data checks to identify changes in circumstances, and higher copayments for Medicaid expansion and other enrollees in addition to financing changes.

Read more about how North Carolina is preparing to implement certain Medicaid provisions of the 2025 reconciliation law amid Medicaid budget shortfalls in our new policy watch:

This policy watch provides initial insight into how North Carolina is preparing to implement certain Medicaid provisions of the 2025 reconciliation law and how other policy changes may affect coverage and access to care.

05/29/2026

States are moving forward with key decisions over how to implement the medical frailty exemption from Medicaid work requirements.

CMS guidance is expected to address key issues related to defining and verifying medical frailty.

Learn more about states’ early plans and the issues and questions they are facing in our new brief: https://on.kff.org/4dyae6Q

05/28/2026

As AI transforms health care, Dr. Michael Schlosser asks whether there should be a modern equivalent of the HITECH Act’s ‘Meaningful Use’ program to ensure access isn’t limited to only the largest systems.

05/27/2026

Following Dr. Drew Altman’s retirement at the end of this year, Larry Levitt, currently KFF’s Executive Vice President for Health Policy, will become CEO, and Dr. Mollyann Brodie, currently KFF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will serve as President.

They bring with them a combined six decades at KFF in senior positions guiding policy research and polling, and were appointed following a rigorous process led by KFF’s Board.

More: https://on.kff.org/kff-leadership-news

05/27/2026

After nearly 40 years shaping the national health policy landscape, our founding president and CEO, Dr. Drew Altman, has announced he will retire at the end of the year.

Under Dr. Altman’s leadership, KFF has become the nation’s leading independent source of health care policy information, anchoring pivotal debates with rigorous, nonpartisan research, polling, and reporting.

KFF’s Board of Trustees has appointed Larry Levitt and Dr. Mollyann Brodie as the new leadership team.

More: https://on.kff.org/kff-leadership-news

05/26/2026

In our latest episode, Dr. Michael Schlosser explains his vision for a collaborative environment where AI acts as a co-pilot for health care providers, enhancing their decision-making capabilities while allowing them to focus on what they do best — caring for patients.

Watch the full episode: https://on.kff.org/4wQ8HAF

05/23/2026

Will AI be a transformative force in medicine or just another disappointment?

On this week’s episode of KFF’s Business of Health, guest Dr. Robert Wachter says that while AI doesn't need to be perfect, it must be better than the current failing systems.

Listen where you get your podcasts.