‘Behind the Blue’: Mark Birdwhistell on future of Medicaid, what it means for UK and the state
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 23, 2025) — As federal lawmakers continue to examine the future of Medicaid, universities and health systems across the country are monitoring potential policy shifts that could influence how care is delivered — especially in states like Kentucky, where Medicaid plays a foundational role in supporting health care access.
At the University of Kentucky, Medicaid is more than a funding stream — it helps fuel a wide range of clinical services, community outreach programs and care for underserved populations. Nearly 35% of patients served by UK HealthCare are Medicaid recipients, and many of them live in rural areas or face chronic health challenges that require consistent, high-quality care.
Helping to lead the university’s strategic and policy response is Mark Birdwhistell, UK’s senior vice president for health and public policy. With more than 45 years of experience in health care policy and administration, Birdwhistell has played a central role in shaping UK’s efforts to communicate the value of Medicaid — not just in dollars, but in lives improved.
UK’s participation in Kentucky’s Medicaid Directed Payment program, which links funding to quality outcomes, has allowed the university to expand hospital access, reach patients in remote areas and strengthen partnerships with providers across Kentucky.
“We’re using this opportunity to show accountability, improve outcomes and demonstrate how a teaching hospital model can work,” Birdwhistell said.
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Birdwhistell discusses how the university and its health system are adapting to a rapidly evolving Medicaid landscape, and why federal support remains essential to serving the state’s most vulnerable.
“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
“Behind the Blue” is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
Learn more about how the University of Kentucky is advancing the Commonwealth at www.uky.edu/advancing-kentucky/.
UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated health care professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and Kentucky’s top hospital ranked by U.S. News & World Report.
As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the health care landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.