Broadly, my research explores whether treating people as consumers of medical care, such that we expect them to make discernments about price and value, leads to better health care quality and more efficient spending patterns.  A primary focus of my research agenda is the use of health insurance benefit design to influence spending and utilization.  My  training is in health services research, with a theoretical and methodological focus in economics.  I primarily use quasi-experimental research designs and econometric statistical techniques to measure the effects of policies or interventions.  Often, my data come from large databases with medical and pharmaceutical claims from health insurers.  I have led projects related to effects of health insurance benefit design in both the commercial and Medicaid populations, attitudes of consumers in high-deductible plans, and impacts of interventions to influence use of high- and low-value health care services.

Prior to pursuing my doctoral degree, I was a journalist and reported on health care policy for newspapers and magazines for nearly a decade. In that career, I wrote stories about hospital financing, medical errors, uninsurance, underinsurance, medical and pharmaceutical prices, care coordination, mental health, and the impact of health policies on individuals.

Education

University of Michigan, PhD
Health Services Organization and Policy (Economics Concentration) 

Columbia University, MS
Journalism

Dartmouth College, BA
Government