KFF

06/16/2026

First established in 2016, state directed payments (SDPs) allow states to direct how managed care organizations pay for Medicaid services.

Our new analysis estimates that the vast majority (84%) of federal Medicaid spending on SDPs covers hospital services, totaling an estimated $78 billion annually.

Learn more about how SDPs are used and forthcoming reductions in their funding from our two new issue briefs: https://on.kff.org/4ebzLmL

06/15/2026

Forty states and DC currently receive $93 billion in annual federal Medicaid spending through state directed payments (SDPs) and may be at risk due to forthcoming limits on these payments, according to new KFF estimates.

Annual federal spending on SDPs is highest in California (an estimated $10.6 billion) — followed by Texas ($6.3 billion), North Carolina ($5.2 billion), and Illinois ($5.1 billion).

More in our two new issue briefs: https://on.kff.org/4ebzLmL

06/12/2026

Official actions can elevate unverified or uncommon outcomes in ways that shape public perceptions beyond what evidence suggests.

In fact, two recent developments show how such actions can lend weight to narratives unsupported by evidence — one by overstating a causal link not supported by data, and the other by creating an institution based on a premise that research doesn’t support.

Find out what developments we’re tracking in our latest edition of The Monitor.

Two recent federal actions, including a memo about alleged COVID-19 vaccine deaths and settlements creating a “detransition clinic,” show how official actions can present uncertain or uncommon outcomes as representative and lend credibility to narrative...

06/12/2026

Six health insurers have announced that they will exit ACA Marketplaces across 18 states next year.

These announcements come in the months following the expiration of the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits, which corresponded with a drop in Marketplace sign-ups by over a million people and is expected to contribute to an even larger drop in enrollment by the end of the year.

06/11/2026

U.S. government and Global Fund cuts will reduce health support to 29 countries by $4.3 billion (24%) through 2029, marking an unprecedented decline in the modern era of global health funding.

Our experts examine how much funding will be cut under the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy and by the Global Fund from 2026 to 2029, compared with previous years, in 29 countries with signed U.S. Memorandums of Understanding and available data. https://on.kff.org/4fCF4MZ

06/11/2026

For the first time since the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits were introduced in 2021, insurer participation in the Marketplaces has gone down.

The average number of issuers offering plans in the ACA Marketplaces has declined from a record high of 9.6 issuers per state in 2025 to 9.0 issuers per state in 2026.

06/10/2026

Dr. David Bates explains why better, more accessible data — and the right policy environment — are essential to leveraging AI to meaningfully improve patient care.

Catch the full conversation in our latest podcast episode.

06/09/2026

Our new brief examines the changing federal approach to state Medicaid program integrity, including the review of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) and denial of the Hawaii MFCU’s recertification.

The Trump administration has made fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicaid and other federal programs a major focus of its health policy agenda.

As the administration’s efforts evolve, many open questions remain about the future of Medicaid program integrity, including which states might become a focus of administration effort, whether Congress will change Medicaid program integrity requirements, and what it means for access to care for Medicaid enrollees.

More in our brief: https://on.kff.org/4dZ0rqL

06/08/2026

Since January 2025, 57 Planned Parenthood clinics across 20 states have closed or consolidated with other sites. A new KFF analysis finds that changes in clinics’ use of Title X — a federal family planning grant program — occurred alongside these closures:

Half (247) of the country’s Planned Parenthood clinics currently participate in the Title X program across 29 states, down from 297 Planned Parenthood clinics in 34 states and DC last year. California, Texas, and Ohio saw the largest decreases in Planned Parenthood participation in Title X: https://on.kff.org/4x9bQvo

06/04/2026

In this episode, Chip Kahn and Optum CEO Dr. Patrick Conway discuss how to ensure the health care industry’s use of AI serves patients first — particularly when the same company bears financial risk and builds the AI that decides who gets care: https://on.kff.org/4o5OjaT

Is AI Better for patients? What is changing on the ground? Chip tal...