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| KHN | |
|---|---|
| Name | KHN |
| Formation | 1996 |
| Type | Nonprofit news organization |
| Headquarters | Sacramento, California |
| Leader title | Editor-in-Chief |
| Leader name | Julie Rovner |
KHN
KHN is a nonprofit news organization focused on health journalism that publishes reporting, analysis, and commentary on public health, health policy, medical research, and health care delivery. It produces original stories and aggregates reporting from partner newsrooms, seeking to inform policymakers, clinicians, and the public about issues such as health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, pharmaceutical policy, pandemic response, and health disparities. KHN collaborates with national and regional outlets to amplify coverage of investigations, trends, and policy debates.
KHN operates as a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to health and health policy reporting. Its editorial work centers on coverage of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activities, Food and Drug Administration decisions, pharmaceutical pricing, and hospital systems. The organization distributes content through partner newsrooms, syndication, and online platforms, aiming to reach audiences served by outlets such as The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and ProPublica. Leadership and editorial staff often interact with stakeholders including lawmakers on Capitol Hill, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services, researchers at institutions like Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University, and clinicians from centers such as Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.
KHN was founded in the mid-1990s amid growing interest in nonprofit investigative journalism and specialized beat reporting. Early efforts emphasized explaining changes in federal legislation such as the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act and state-level reforms like those enacted in Massachusetts during the Romney administration. Over time, KHN expanded during major health events including the H1N1 influenza outbreak, the Ebola epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic, covering responses by entities such as the World Health Organization and state public health departments in California and New York. The newsroom has adapted to shifts in media by forging partnerships with legacy newspapers, public radio stations like KQED and WBUR, television producers including PBS, and digital-native organizations such as Vox and BuzzFeed News.
KHN produces a mix of daily news reporting, long-form features, explainers, and data-driven projects. Regular publications examine Medicare payment rules issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, FDA approvals and recalls, and research published in journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and JAMA. KHN’s explainers provide context for Supreme Court rulings affecting health law, including cases involving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and disputes over Medicaid expansion. Special series have profiled health care systems like Kaiser Permanente and nonprofit hospitals affiliated with Dartmouth–Hitchcock, and spotlighted topics ranging from opioid policy influenced by the Drug Enforcement Administration to maternal health outcomes in collaboration with reporting on work by organizations such as March of Dimes.
KHN has undertaken investigative projects on pharmaceutical pricing, hospital billing practices, nursing home conditions, and disparities in care that have influenced discourse among policymakers and regulators. Investigations drawing on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and court records have exposed practices at major chains, prompting inquiries by state attorneys general and oversight by bodies like the Office of Inspector General (HHS). Collaborative investigations with partners such as ProPublica, The Associated Press, and The Atlantic have led to congressional hearings, legislative proposals in state legislatures, and administrative actions by agencies including the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
KHN operates through a network of editorial partnerships with national and regional media organizations, academic centers, and journalism nonprofits. Partners have included The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, NPR, PBS NewsHour, and digital outlets like Stat News. Funding comes from philanthropic foundations and donors that support journalism and public health, including organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and other charitable entities that fund specialized reporting. Editorial independence policies are designed to separate funding sources from newsroom decision-making, and governance typically involves a board with representatives from civic and philanthropic institutions.
KHN’s reporting has been praised by journalism organizations and award committees, earning recognition from bodies such as the Pulitzer Prize board, the American Society of News Editors, and the Society of Professional Journalists for depth and public service. Critics have at times questioned nonprofit news models broadly, including concerns about funding influences cited in debates involving foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the role of philanthropic support in shaping editorial priorities. Academic commentators from institutions such as Columbia University and Stanford University have studied KHN and peer organizations to assess impacts on public understanding, media ecosystems, and policy debates.
Category:Health media Category:Nonprofit organizations in the United States