Ten high-priority areas for health policy research in 2026-2027

Health policy is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, driven by major health reforms, changing market structures, pharmaceutical policy developments, technological innovation, and evolving models of care delivery. These changes have profound implications for health care access, affordability, quality, and health system sustainability. In this editorial, we identify 10 priority areas for health services and policy research that we believe will shape policy debates and evidence needs in the coming years. These priorities are organized across 5 domains: health care access, coverage, quality and delivery system reform; corporatization and financialization of health care systems; pharmaceutical policy and health services research; international comparisons and cross-national learning; and innovation, technological advancements, and resiliency of health systems. Specific areas we discuss include the effects of the H.R.1 on Medicaid coverage and economic security; the future of Medicare Advantage; the impact of immigration policies on access; the consequences of increasing corporatization of health care; reforms to pharmaceutical pricing; the role of international comparative research; and the implications of precision nutrition, climate-related disruptions, and artificial intelligence for health policy and health system performance. Across these topics, we emphasize the need for rigorous, policy-relevant research that moves beyond descriptive analyses to evaluate mechanisms, implementation, and real-world impacts.