Publications

Through policy briefs, blogposts, and overviews sharing Kaiser Permanente experiences and perspectives, the Institute for Health Policy highlights approaches that can promote accessible, equitable, high-quality care and cultivate healthy communities.

We partner with experts from a variety of backgrounds, both within and outside Kaiser Permanente, to identify, analyze, and discuss promising approaches.

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Virginia

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Hawaii

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Colorado

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in California

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Maryland

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Georgia

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Oregon

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medicare Advantage in Washington

Patient with behavioral health professional

Expanding access to mental health care through interstate compacts

How is Kaiser Permanente different from other health plans when it comes to prescription drugs?

Electrophysiology doctors viewing scans

Integrated Care Stories: Environmental Stewardship

Clinical staff in facility

Kaiser Permanente’s approach to value-based care

The Value of Coverage: Cancer Detection and Care

Focusing on Equity in Maternal Health Improves Outcomes for Everyone

Medicaid’s Impact: Healthier People, Communities, and Local Economies

A woman sitting on a rock

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Oregon Health Plan (Oregon)

doctor

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in QUEST Integration (Hawaii)

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in HealthChoice (Maryland)

Patient with doctor

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Georgia Families (Georgia)

People laughing

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Apple Health (Washington State)

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medallion Medicaid (Virginia)

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medi-Cal (California)

girl skipping past reception kiosk

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Health First Colorado (Colorado)

Patient with doctor

The Importance of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit

Improving Health – and Health Care – Through Environmental Stewardship

Research Roundup: Biosimilar Medications are Safe and Effective

syringes with needed

IHP Supported Research on Drug Policy and Value in 2024

Unrecognizable group of unified people hold hands while sitting in a circle.

Advancing public policies to support substance use disorder treatment and recovery

AI in health care: Current applications and policy opportunities

Telehealth Insights From an Integrated Care System

Telehealth Insights From an Integrated Care System

Collaborative Care at Kaiser Permanente

Cultivating support: building mental health services that empower Black mothers

Counseling session

Delivering high-quality behavioral health care

Counseling session

Growing the mental health care workforce

Mom with baby

Improving maternal health outcomes and advancing health equity

Teenager dialing

The growing role of tele-behavioral health in mental health care

Latin family holding the keys of their new house

Housing First is a Matter of Health

Electrophysiology doctors viewing scans

Integrated Care Story Series

Shot of an unrecognizable doctor holding hands with her patient during a consultation

AHRQ funding improves health care quality: Congress should support it.

capitol dome

Research Roundup: Health care research summaries for policy leaders

syringes with needed

Biosimilars at Kaiser Permanente: Lessons in successfully reducing spending on prescription drugs

Group therapy

Addressing the Mental Health Workforce Shortage

Young man talking in group therapy at a coworking

Expanding the Mental Health Workforce in California

Counseling session

Feedback Informed Care

Turning the tide on the maternal health crisis

A farewell, but not goodbye, to our leader Murray Ross

Doctor speaking to patient

It’s time to rethink health care quality measurement

Want to lower drug prices? Reform the U.S. patent system

Woman's hands holding black mobile phone with doctor on screen

Lawmakers must act to boost telehealth and digital equity

The US Capitol Dome, Interior, Washington DC

Policy Spotlight

Kaiser Permanente’s approach to strengthening small business

Want to lower drug prices? Reform the U.S. patent system

capitol dome

Preserving and bolstering the necessary tools to promote insulin affordability

Publications from PORTAL

Partner Spotlight: PharmedOut

Robust Crisis Response Systems Support Mental Health and Prevent Suicide

High prescription drug prices

How pharmaceutical marketing affects decisions about patient care

Integrated Care Stories: Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic

Integrated Care Stories: Ensuring Vaccine Safety

Man on teleheath call with physician

Integrated Care Stories: Telehealth

Integrated Care Stories: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery

Integrated Care Stories: Early Warning System for Hospitalized Patients

Clinician and patient

Integrated Care Stories: The Healthy Bones Program

Electrophysiology doctors viewing scans

Integrated Care Stories: The Women’s Hereditary Cancer Program

doctor

An Overview of Our Integrated Care Model

Cheerful Black little girls smiles while in line in a soup kitchen. She is holding a plate full of healthy food. Her family is in line behind her.

A Conversation: Exploring Policy Opportunities in Nutrition Security and School Health

Partner Spotlight: PORTAL

High Cost of Prescription Drugs: Concept prescription bottles with gavel

From Tragedy to Transformation: Reforming Criminal Justice and the Mental Health System

Nurse and child wearing masks

What the pandemic taught us about public health

A man handing a prescription to a pharmacists

Restoring Provider Confidence In FDA-Approved Drugs

A pharmacist fulfilling a prescription

Evolving nature of evidence required by FDA to approve new drugs

Health care workforce needs and Kaiser Permanente’s approach

Addressing housing affordability and health

syringes with needed

Beyond advocacy: Requiring vaccination to stop COVID-19

Creating tobacco-free communities

Applauding California’s ban on flavored tobacco

A multiethnic group of young friends enjoy good food and conversation together on a terrace outside on a summer evening. The focus is on an adorable young girl who's smiling at the camera while mom holds her.

Maternity Care: How to Address Bias and Increase Cultural Humility

Leg details of Black female gardener tending to organic crops at community garden and picking up a basket full of produce

A Conversation: Unpacking Promising Food is Medicine Interventions & Supportive Policies

Shot of an unrecognizable doctor holding hands with her patient during a consultation

Achieving health equity

Ballpoint pen lying on medical prescription near phonendoscope in doctors office. Illegal prescription of drugs concept

Drug policy 101: Kaiser Permanente’s approach to pharmaceutical detailing

Cheerful preteen Hispanic girl having her blood pressure checked by a female African American mid adult volunteer nurse at an outdoor health fair. Smiling Hispanic young girl at a medical expo getting her blood pressure checked by African American volunteer nurse.

Improved public health relies on stronger partnerships

Children eating

Community Drivers of Health: Policy Paper Series

Teenager dialing

Launching 988 nationally to support a continuum of care in mental health

Doctor speaking to patient

California models universal coverage goals

Doctor speaking to patient

Understanding the value of the Kaiser Permanente model

Improving mental health care for youth

To reduce health inequities, clinics need lawyers on the team

syringes with needed

Beyond advocacy: Requiring vaccination to stop COVID-19

Nurse swabbing a child's mouth

Using COVID-19 relief aid to support student and staff health

A woman is measuring her blood pressure while consulting with a doctor via telemedicine video call on a laptop at home

Reflections on the perils and promise of telehealth

A young couple speaking to a physician on their mobile during a telehealth visit.

Telehealth after the pandemic

Businesswoman using laptop

Telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic: Kaiser Permanente’s experience

Housing for health Covid-19 response

Improved public health relies on stronger partnerships

Long overdue: Addressing black maternal health in the United States

Health care workers around a computer

Building a resilient and responsive U.S. health care system

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Addressing racial disparities in health care delivery (Part 2)

Prescription white pills

Building a bigger table for a more equitable drug development system

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Addressing racial disparities in health care delivery (Part 1)

Get ready to vote 

The Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and the impact of “best price” rules

Census outreach: There’s still time to make a difference

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Homelessness prevention during COVID-19

COVID-19’s new normal for schools means many elements of school health policy may be overlooked

The COVID-19 crisis demands a transformation of our children’s mental health system

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Maintaining social connection in a time of physical distance

The important role of policy in addressing childhood trauma during COVID-19 and beyond

Shot of an unrecognizable doctor holding hands with her patient during a consultation

Reflections on 10 years since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act – and the path ahead

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Transforming care delivery with telehealth at Kaiser Permanente

Drug policy 101: Pharmaceutical marketing tactics

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

When the best prescription is deprescribing

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Understanding the new SNAP rule: Why it hurts the most vulnerable

A multi-ethnic group of elementary age students are playing tag at the park during recess. They are happily chasing each other through the grass on a sunny day.

Building healthier school environments for students and employees

The promise — and challenges — of gene therapy

Prescription

Determining drug value: Let’s start with the evidence

Drug policy 101: Breaking down different types of drug products

Anthony Barrueta speaking at the Forum

Driving the conversation on drug value

Drug policy 101: The state of the pharmaceutical evidence base

From vision to action: Transforming the behavioral health system to work for people with low incomes

High Cost of Prescription Drugs: Concept prescription bottles with gavel

Drug policy 101: Drug patents

Pediatricians have an important role to play in reducing chronic absenteeism

Working together to make ‘zero suicide’ a reality

capitol dome

How to save the patent system in 3 easy steps

It’s time to change drug companies’ harmful marketing practices

At a Glance: Kaiser Permanente’s clinical approach to preventing suicide

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

Health systems have a role in preventing firearm injury

Act now to address the shortage of mental health workers

Latin family holding the keys of their new house

Sound the alarm: Our housing crisis is a health crisis

When it comes to the mental health workforce crisis, the struggles — and opportunities — are real

A man handing a prescription to a pharmacists

The price Is wrong: Why we need to curb prices on biologics to protect patients

Drug policy 101: Biosimilars

ICS Main Graphic-01

Delivering high-quality, equitable maternal care: Lessons from the nation’s largest private integrated care delivery organization

2 people hugging

The heart of the matter: Identifying person-centered solutions at the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems

High Cost of Prescription Drugs: Concept prescription bottles with gavel

A deeper dive: Recommendations for strengthening the FDA’s REMS program to protect patients

The US Capitol Dome, Interior, Washington DC

Drug policy 101: FDA risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS)

Doctors in conference room on video call

A call to action: We must strengthen America’s mental health workforce

Our thoughts on HHS’s blueprint to lower drug prices: It’s time for a new legal and policy landscape

capitol dome

Deconstructing single payer, one dinner party at time

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy

Demystifying universal coverage

Becoming a trauma-informed state

Opportunities for improvement: Behavioral health supports & the child welfare system

Happy mature entrepreneur working on a computer in the office.

A perilous 2020 U.S. Census: Why the count counts

Closeup shot hands using laptop computer and internet, typing on keyboard, searching information. Freelancer copywriter typing text, edit something, working at home

Maryland reinsurance efforts: A case study

Reflections on high drug pricing in America: Where we are and where we’re headed

Ballpoint pen lying on medical prescription near phonendoscope in doctors office. Illegal prescription of drugs concept

Drug Policy 101: Pay-for-delay

Washington DC: The sun sets on the United States Capitol building.

Coffee talk with Julie Stoss, Vice President, Government Relations

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

Reducing youth firearm suicide risk: Evidence for opportunities

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

How the Telestroke program activates the telehealth research and policy framework

Young woman on video visit

Building an evidence base and addressing key questions around telehealth

Man on telehealth visit with doctor using tablet

Telemedicine and a vision for health care without walls

Reflections on the challenges facing mental health patients, providers and policies

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

Coffee Talk with Shannon McMahon, Kaiser Permanente’s Executive Director of Medicaid Policy

Defining the next generation of behavioral health strategies

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

Physicians’ Voices: What skills and supports are needed for effective practice in an integrated delivery system? A case study of Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

A provider and payor’s perspective on drug pricing

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

How racism makes people sick: A conversation with Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD

Seven things business leaders should know (and do) about health care

Woman on teleheath call with physician

E-health equality for all: Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to identify and address digital health disparities

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

Looking at graduate medical education through a different lens: A health care system’s perspective

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

What the U.S. can learn about drug pricing from Australia, the U.K. and Germany

A wannabe winemaker plots the path to a new health care delivery system

Sovaldi, Harvoni, and why it’s different this time

People laughing

Five lessons for leaders to improve community health

Electrophysiology doctors viewing scans

Six burning questions healthcare leaders have about ACOs

Businesswoman using laptop

What’s in an ACO? Elliott Fisher introduces research on emerging ACO models

Doctor speaking to patient

Community-clinic integration: An emerging strategy to promote healthy lifestyles

Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy Staff

State officials and health care leaders explore delivery system transformation

Business e-mail on a computer keyboard.

A few cautions about exchanges

Surgical staff conferring

Partners in health: How physicians and hospitals can be accountable together

Back To Top