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ECONOMICS PUBLICATIONS

Rationing Medicine Through Paperwork: Prior Authorization Restrictions in Medicare

With Zarek Brot-Goldberg, Sam Burn, and Tim Layton, American Economic Review, Conditionally Accepted

Media Coverage: MedscapeAEIdeasBecker's ASCTradeoffsWBEZFortune

The Value of Improving Insurance Quality: Evidence from Long-Run Medicaid Attrition (with Ajin Lee)

Journal of Health Economics, 2024, 94

The Behavioral Foundations of Default Effects: Theory and Evidence from Medicare Part D 

With Zarek Brot-Goldberg, Tim Layton, and Adelina WangAmerican Economic Review, 2023, 113: 2718-2758

Media Coverage: Commonwealth Fund

Private Versus Public Provision of Social Insurance: Evidence from Medicaid

With Tim Layton, Nicole Maestas, and Daniel Prinz, AEJ: Economic Policy, 2022, 14: 397-431

Media Coverage: NBER Digest, Brookings, VoxEU, CATO Institute

The Consequences of Health Care Privatization: Evidence from Medicare Advantage Exits 

With Mark Duggan and Jon Gruber, AEJ: Economic Policy, 2018, 10: 153-186. 

Media Coverage: New York Times, Academy Health, NBER Digest

Awards: 2019 NIHCM Finalist

Who Benefits When the Government Pays More? Pass-Through in the Medicare Advantage Program

With Mark Duggan and Amanda Starc, Journal of Public Economics, 2016, 141: 50-67.

Media Coverage: Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Modern Healthcare, Marginal Revolution, Knowledge at Wharton, Health Affairs Blog

ECONOMICS WORKING PAPERS

Privatizing Social Insurance: Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare  (with Scott Bilder, Zarek Brot-Goldberg, Barton Jones, Iman Mohammadi, Zulkarnain Pulungan, Yalun Su, and Christie Teigland)-Email for draft

Accompanying White Papers on MA vs TM: Enrollment Characteristics, Utilization, Quality, Plan Design Within MA 

Media & Policy References: MedPAC March 2024 Report to Congress, Manchin-Romney Bipartisan US Senate Letter to CMS, 20+ Healthcare and Trade Journal Articles (see specifics here)

Medicaid vs Medicare: Evidence from Medicaid to Medicare Transitions at 65 (with Tim Layton, Nicole Maestas, Daniel Prinz, and Mark Shepard)

Media Coverage: NBER Bulletin

Estimating Variation in Productivity Across State Medicaid Programs: Evidence from Dual-Eligibles (with Tim Layton, Nicole Maestas, Daniel Prinz, and Mark Shepard)

Efficiency Gains Under Incomplete Contracting: Evidence from Medicaid

POLICY AND OTHER RESEARCH

Health Outcomes Under Full-Risk Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare

With Ken Cohen, et al. 

AJMC, 2025

Medicare Advantage Denies 17 Percent of Initial Claims

With Mike Chernew and Andrew Hicks

Health Affairs, 2025

Potential Spillover Effects on Traditional Medicare When Physicians Bear MA Risk

With Ken Cohen, et al. 

AJMC, 2025

Medicare Risk Arrangement and Use and Outcomes Among Physician Groups

With Ken Cohen, et al. 

JAMA Network Open, 2025

Comparing Expected Out-of-Pocket Costs in MA and FFS Medicare, 2014-2020

With Ben Ippolito and Erin Trish

Health Affairs Datawatch, 2024

How Do Prescription Drug Benefits Differ Between Medicare Advantage and Stand-Alone Part D Plans? 

With Ben Ippolito

AEI Economic Perspectives, 2024

The effect of Medicare Advantage growth on Part D competition, costs, and coverage

With Ben Ippolito

Health Affairs Forefront, 2023

How should policymakers respond to rising cost-sharing that often goes unpaid

With Ben Ippolito

Health Affairs Forefront, 2023

Comparison of Care Quality Metrics in 2-sided Risk Medicare Advantage vs Fee-for-Service Medicare programs

With Ken Cohen, et al. 

JAMA Network Open, 2023

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