Drew Altman
@drewaltman.bsky.social
President and CEO of @kff.org; Executive Publisher of @kffhealthnews.org
Why we do many of our polls with major news organizations, on all kinds of issues not just health. My latest in my Untold History of KFF series: on.kff.org/4vHtNzc
Untold KFF History Volume 4: Polling Partnerships with News Organizations
For the fourth in his “Untold KFF History” series, KFF’s Founding President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman discusses KFF’s polling partnerships with major news organizations—a practice that began with the Wa...
on.kff.org
I bet you didn’t know we ran media campaigns all over the world, even in Putin’s Russia. I continue to write about our “untold” stories: on.kff.org/3QUvoDN
Untold KFF History Volume Three: The Global Media AIDS Initiative
For the third in his “Untold KFF History” series, KFF’s Founding President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman discusses an ambitious and relatively short-term effort, the Global Media AIDS Initiative, which was ...
on.kff.org
Social media makes the anti science, anti vax crowd seem much larger than it is. Surveys show it’s actually a very small share of the public greatly outnumbered by science believers. My new column: on.kff.org/4wthpni
Americans May Be Smarter About Vaccines Than You Think
In a new column that analyzes recent KFF polling, Founding President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman concludes that only a sliver of the public hold definitive anti-science, anti-vaccine views, and are greatl...
on.kff.org
As we head towards a leadership change next year, I will be reviewing the most innovative things we have done since I founded KFF in a special series of columns. First up, our decades long program in South Africa, in celebration of their advancing in the World Cup: on.kff.org/4eupmmj
One of my oldest friends and mentors Bob Blendon passed away today. Known recently as an expert on public opinion at Harvard, Bob was was the best foundation strategist ever when we worked together during RWJF’s early years. An unmatched combination of caring and brilliance.
Following Dr. Altman’s retirement at the end 2026, Larry Levitt will serve as KFF’s CEO and Dr. Mollyann Brodie will serve as President. They bring with them a combined six decades at KFF in senior positions guiding policy research and polling.
After nearly 40 years shaping the health policy landscape, our founding president and CEO Dr. Drew Altman announced he’ll retire at the end of the year. Larry Levitt and Dr. Mollyann Brodie have been appointed by the Board as the new leadership team.
Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO of KFF, Announces Retirement Plans; Board Appoints Larry Levitt and Mollyann Brodie as Next Leadership Team | KFF
Dr. Altman has led the organization for nearly 40 years; Levitt and Dr. Brodie to assume leadership roles next year, after a combined six decades at KFF in senior positions guiding policy research and...
on.kff.org
Nothing was certain when I came to California to start KFF with little more than an idea. Now 37 years later, @kff.org is at the height of its effectiveness, and I have the perfect opportunity, thanks to our board, to hand over leadership to Larry Levitt and Molly Brodie next year.
Parts of MAHA can be very influential (think pesticides), but is it a coherent movement or a voting block? More than a name? My column: on.kff.org/4ngGWwO
There Are Many MAHAs
In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO, dissects the MAHA “movement.” He writes: “There appear to be many MAHAs, not one. You can care about pesticides, or food additives, or vac...
on.kff.org
There are many MAHAs, with many different priorities. They have too many different interests to be a movement or a single voting block. Their top priority is health care costs, like other voters, but their leaders don’t talk about costs much. My new column: on.kff.org/4ngGWwO
There Are Many MAHAs
In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO, dissects the MAHA “movement.” He writes: “There appear to be many MAHAs, not one. You can care about pesticides, or food additives, or vac...
on.kff.org
Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary of Health were combined in ‘77 under the great Julius Richmond giving the SG much more than a podium, but separated again with the star power of Everett Koop in ‘81. Chief doctor for HHS, for the nation, or both?
I was challenged to write about the problems with the U.S. health system in ONE PAGE (not the reasons for them or the solutions). What would you add/subtract? Remember, one page! My latest column: on.kff.org/4sP7PJe
A One-Pager on What’s Wrong with U.S. Health Care
Asked for a one-pager on what's wrong with the U.S. health system, Dr. Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO, explains the top issues in this piece, published today as his latest column. Altman expl...
on.kff.org
Remarkable. Even with single payer advocates running, an HHS secretary and the issue on voter’s minds, not a single health question during the televised part of the California governor’s debate. Police 24/7 was more important.
No group is more screwed (in health research speak, faces more barriers to care), than the chronically ill uninsured. I explain in my new column: on.kff.org/4mhgHWk
Affordability Is the Issue Now, But Look for the Uninsured to Make a Comeback
A new column on the uninsured from President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman explains: “The uninsured is not the most politically salient problem in health care now, that’s affordability, nor is it the non-problem some say it is. But it’s coming back. And the problem of the chronically ill uninsured is glaring.” Read more.
on.kff.org
Two things candidates need to connect with voters on health: + Convince them they really care about their health care costs + Have a simple, tangible solution voters can understand (even if it doesn’t solve the whole problem and isn’t a comprehensive health reform plan).
Gallup also finds health at the top now. A different take separating health costs from economic concerns and combining “availability” and “affordability,” but however you ask it these days, the public has health costs on their minds.
Healthcare Reclaims Top Spot Among U.S. Domestic Worries
Americans say they worry most about healthcare among 16 domestic issues, followed by the economy, inflation, the federal budget and income inequality.
news.gallup.com
Today’s new KFF poll. Lots of people are using AI for health information. That’s probably not surprising. What is: many are doing it because they can’t afford medical care.
KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Use of AI For Health Information and Advice | KFF
This poll finds that about as many adults are turning to AI for health information as social media, with health care costs and access driving many users, particularly younger users.
on.kff.org
Why health care affordability will be a top economic issue after the Iran war. My latest column: on.kff.org/4splo2D
A Note on How the War in Iran May Affect Health Care in the Midterms
In a new column, Dr. Drew Altman, KFF’s President and CEO, discusses the impact of the war in Iran and rising gas prices on voter concerns about health care costs. He writes: “Recently, we saw health ...
on.kff.org
People say prior authorization review is their number one problem when they try to get health care. Can we get rid of it? My new column:
Are the Tradeoffs from Prior Authorization Worth It?
In his latest column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman asks if prior authorization review could be eliminated entirely, discussing how it might be done and the tradeoffs.
on.kff.org
This may not last with gas prices rising, but we have not seen it often: health costs are THE top household economic concern, propelled by reality, political debate about ACA tax credits, and media coverage.
Deepest sympathies for the many great journalists laid off at the Washington Post today. A comment on many things about the news industry and why I prefer our non profit model with our own stable funding and no need to chase revenue or clicks.
It’s not going to be a health care election but it will partly be a health cost election. Our new poll: on.kff.org/3LGVtUh
When you think about us having a health care cost problem, which part of this Venn diagram comes to mind first? @drewaltman.bsky.social www.kff.org/from-drew-al...
Everyone wants to reduce health care spending – their own, often at the expense of someone else’s health spending. No one really wants to take on underlying costs. My latest column: on.kff.org/4a11umO
Our Darwinian Approach to Health Care Costs
In his latest column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman presents his Venn diagram of health care cost problems and shows how, in our fragmented health system, reducing one health cost problem often ma...
on.kff.org
States are starting to cut Medicaid as revenues fall and federal cuts loom, making lots of different cuts to spread the pain and ease the politics. But work requirements and the $1T in federal Medicaid cuts have not hit yet. on.kff.org/45rYOND
Medicaid and Upcoming State Budget Debates | KFF
This brief describes current state fiscal conditions as states begin fiscal year 2027 budget debates and highlights key areas to watch for Medicaid policy changes as states respond to fiscal challenge...
on.kff.org
Trump is not interested in Greenland’s rare earth minerals, or national security. He wants their single payer health system.
We have been trying to analyze the Trump health “plan” but I worry that unless Congress puts something real together we are analyzing air. Big Q’s such as are pre-x protected are impossible to answer from their Fact Sheet. What we do know: it partly captured a news cycle.
It looks like Trump’s “buy your own insurance“ plan would largely do away with pre-x protections and the Marketplaces, but not insurance companies he doesn’t like who would still provide most of the coverage.
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Calls on Congress to Enact The Great Healthcare Plan
CALLING ON CONGRESS TO LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS: Today, President Donald J. Trump called on Congress to enact the Great Healthcare Plan, a comprehensive
whitehouse.gov
Today Trump called on R’s to “ own health care”, an issue they have never won. But with what? Trump favors narrow, glitzy industry deals, not comprehensive plans dealing with coverage and costs. Can that formula work? My column: on.kff.org/4ssYisr
Trump Has No Health Plan, He Has the Art of the Health Care Deal
In his first column for the new year, KFF CEO Dr. Drew Altman analyzes President Trump’s “make a deal” approach to health care. He explains that while the president doesn’t have a health reform plan, ...
on.kff.org
