Medicaid Policy Impact Initiative
The Medicaid Policy Impact Initiative at the Cornell Health Policy Center conducts rigorous, policy-relevant research to improve the effectiveness of Medicaid and strengthen the health care safety net in the United States. Bringing together faculty across Cornell, the Initiative focuses on generating actionable evidence on how Medicaid programs are designed, financed, and delivered — and translating that evidence into practical insights for policymakers, health plans, providers, and enrollees.
The Initiative also serves as a hub for advancing Medicaid data infrastructure and methods. Through major investments in national claims data and public-facing tools, the Initiative is building the foundation for stronger evidence to inform policymaking in the Medicaid program.
Core Activities:
- Policy-relevant research: Studies on eligibility and coverage, financing and payment, managed care, safety-net systems, and social drivers of health
- Population-focused work: Research on key Medicaid populations, including children, pregnant people, and individuals with complex health needs
- Medicaid Atlas Project: Development of a national platform to track variation in Medicaid utilization and spending across states, plans, and populations
- Medicaid Data Learning Network (MDLN): A collaborative network of 70+ institutions and 400+ researchers advancing best practices for working with federal Medicaid claims data
- Cornell Medicaid Data Hub: Centralized data infrastructure housing national T-MSIS Analytic Files (TAF) to support timely, high-impact research
- Policy translation and partnerships: Close collaboration with state and federal agencies to ensure research informs real-world decision-making