AHRQ Grant Spending Down 95% Despite Congressional Appropriation

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has spent less than $15 million of its $345 million fiscal year 2026 appropriation on grants and has not issued new grants in over a year. The agency typically funds health services research including quality measurement, patient safety, and care delivery studies that inform Medicaid program design and quality initiatives. The spending freeze affects research that state Medicaid agencies and managed care plans rely on for evidence-based policy development, quality improvement, and payment reform.

Managed Care