The 2026 midterm elections are approaching at a pivotal moment for health policy.
Across the country, voters will choose leaders who will make decisions affecting everything from federal research funding and Medicare to Medicaid programs, public health initiatives, insurance markets, and health care access in their states and communities. The outcomes of these elections will shape health policy priorities and the future of health care for years to come.
Over the past year alone, AcademyHealth has documented how policy decisions can shape the future of health care, from research funding and patient safety to access to care and health system performance. We tracked the disruption of AHRQ's grantmaking operations through Research Interrupted, highlighted the cancellation of health services research grants across the country, and advocated for the protection of evidence-based policymaking. Most recently, the Government Accountability Office found that AHRQ funds were illegally withheld, confirming concerns that researchers, patients, and health systems had been raising for months.
Just last week, AcademyHealth released Modernizing Federal Health Evidence: A Blueprint, a long-term plan to strengthen the institutions, data systems, funding structures, and workforce that support federal health evidence generation. Many of these reforms ultimately depend on decisions made by policymakers and leaders responsible for overseeing the nation's health evidence infrastructure.
With major health policy decisions ahead at both the federal and state levels, understanding how policy is made has never been more important. Whether you're a researcher, clinician, advocate, student, or health care leader, knowing how decisions move from ideas to legislation, regulation, and implementation can help you engage more effectively and make a greater impact.
Join us for AcademyHealth's Health Policy Orientation, taking place October 26–28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Through expert-led sessions, interactive discussions, and practical guidance, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how health policy decisions are made, who influences them, and how evidence can help shape better outcomes.
Participants will hear directly from experts across government, academia, journalism, and health policy organizations on topics ranging from Congress, federal budgeting, the executive branch, and the courts, to Medicare, state health policy, artificial intelligence, and communicating evidence to policymakers.
With speakers from KFF Health News, Bloomberg Law, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, George Washington University, McDermott+Consulting, Nadia Care, and other leading organizations, attendees will gain practical insights into both the policymaking process and how to engage effectively within it.
Participation is limited to 50 attendees to foster meaningful discussion, networking, and direct engagement with faculty. With limited spots remaining, now is the time to secure your place.
Health policy affects all of us, and understanding how it works is the first step toward shaping it. Register and learn more here.