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Joan Alker

is the Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families and a Research Professor at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy.

Joan Alker is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Children and Families (CCF), and a Research Professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. She is a nationally recognized expert on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and is the lead author of CCF’s annual report on children’s health care coverage trends. Alker has published in journals such as JAMA and Health Affairs and has written numerous reports, blogs, and other commentary on a wide range of issues including Medicaid Section 1115 waivers, child and family health, the role of Medicaid in rural areas, and numerous reports on premium assistance for the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Alker has testified before Congress, served on expert advisory panels to the federal government, and is a frequent speaker and commentator; she is routinely quoted in major national and state media outlets such as the New York Times, NPR, Politico, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Kaiser Health News. Joan Alker holds a Master of Philosophy in politics from St. Antony’s College, Oxford University, and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in political science from Bryn Mawr College. Follow Joan on Twitter @JoanAlker1

Latest

  • Medicaid Cuts Kick in Quickly and Quietly in Idaho

    Amber and Darrell Daniels with three of their four children. They live in Caldwell, Idaho. Darrell works for a pest control company while Amber enjoys being a stay-at-home mom to care for their children

  • Progress for Children is Eroding as Child Uninsured Rate Spikes to Highest Level since 2014

    Every year we examine data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) which provides the most comprehensive look nationally and by state at important trends impacting America’s families – including health insurance. Today we are sharing our analysis of data that came out just yesterday for calendar year 2024. Our analysis is…

  • U.S. and State-by-State Child Health Coverage Trends

    From 2022 to 2024, the rate of uninsured children increased from 5.1% to 6%, which is the highest rate of uninsured children in a decade. This was a statistically significant change and equates to an 18% increase in the number of uninsured children nationwide, marking a dramatic reversal of the progress made on child health…

  • US Uninsured Rate Stays Level in 2024 for Adults and Kids: Storm Clouds Lie Ahead

    Today the U.S. Census Bureau released the Current Population Survey (CPS) for 2024 which examines income, health insurance and other trends. Overall, the uninsured rate was unchanged at 8%; the child uninsured rate was 6.1%. – a slight increase that was not statistically significant. Later this week we will get state by state data from…

  • Are States Ready to Implement HR 1 and Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements?

    Key Findings Introduction On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law HR 1 (P.L. 119-21), the massive budget reconciliation bill that cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and Marketplace health coverage. The law strips coverage from many lawfully residing immigrants, ties the hands of states to raise revenue to cover the state share…