History of Kaiser Family Foundation in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 20, 2025

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), headquartered in San Francisco, is a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on health policy. It conducts research, polling, journalism, and public health information campaigns. KFF is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. Its website is highly regarded for its up-to-date and accurate information on health policy, making it a valuable resource for healthcare professionals and those interested in health-related issues.

1948: Establishment of Kaiser Family Foundation

In 1948, the Kaiser Family Foundation was established by Henry J. Kaiser in Oakland, California, where Kaiser Permanente's headquarters were located.

1967: Henry J. Kaiser's Death and Inheritance

In 1967, upon Kaiser's death, his second wife, Alyce Chester, inherited half of his estate, while the other half went to the KFF. Kaiser's children received authority to run Kaiser Industries businesses and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

1977: Dissolution of Kaiser Industries and KFF Ownership

In 1977, ten years after Kaiser's death, the conglomerate of disparate Kaiser Industries organizations split apart. The Kaiser Family Foundation was initially a major owner of these shares, owning 32 percent at the time of dissolution, according to Fortune Magazine.

1985: KFF Independence from Kaiser Companies

By 1985, the foundation no longer had an ownership stake in the Kaiser companies and is now an independent national organization with a Board of Trustees that have backgrounds in public service, academia, nonprofits, health care, and media. KFF is no longer associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.

September 1990: Drew Altman Overhauls KFF Mission

Starting in September 1990, KFF CEO Drew Altman directed "a complete overhaul of the Foundation's mission and operating style," transforming it into a leading voice and repository for health-care information.

2009: Launch of Greater Than HIV

In 2009, KFF launched Greater Than HIV (formerly Greater Than AIDS), a national public information response to the U.S. epidemic, working with public and private partners to increase knowledge, reduce stigma, and promote actions to stem the spread of HIV.

2010: Resources for Affordable Care Act Information

In 2010, KFF started offering resources for consumers seeking information about the new health insurance law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These resources included animated videos explaining the health law and health insurance terms, and a calculator for estimating health insurance coverage costs.

2018: KFF Relocates to San Francisco

In 2018, KFF relocated to San Francisco, CA.

2020: KFF Health News Pulitzer Prize Finalist

In 2020, KFF Health News reporters were finalists for a Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting for exposing how the Social Security Administration routinely reduced or suspended monthly checks to take back funds to pay off large debts that were often created by its own miscalculation of people’s benefits.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Analysis

In early 2020, KFF's analysis and polling focused heavily on the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2023: Kaiser Health News Renamed to KFF Health News

In April 2023, Kaiser Health News (KHN) was renamed to KFF Health News to communicate its ownership by KFF. KFF Health News focuses on coverage of health care policy and politics, providing coverage of health policy issues and developments at the federal and state levels in the health care marketplace and health care delivery system.

2023: Launch of Health Information & Trust Initiative

In 2023, KFF launched the Health Information & Trust Initiative for tracking health misinformation in the U.S, analyzing its impact on the American people, and mobilizing media to address the problem.

2024: KFF Health News Pulitzer Prize Finalist

In 2024, KFF Health News reporters were finalists for a Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting for exposing predatory bill collection by the University of Virginia Health System, which forced the non-profit, state-run hospital to change its tactics.