2026 Health Economics Initiative Conference
On April 30–May 1, 2026, the Becker Friedman Institute Health Economics Initiative’s conference brought together faculty, research professionals, and students to present the latest research on all topics in health economics.
Amitabh Chandra, Ethel Zimmerman Wiener Professor of Public Policy and Director of Health Policy Research at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Henry and Allison McCance Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School joined the 2026 Health Economics Initiative Conference as the keynote speaker.
PHOTOS
Agenda
Registration & Breakfast
6th Floor Lounge
The Virginia Work Requirements Experiment
Tim Layton, University of Virginia
Should Food Stamps Be Free? Impacts and Implications of the Purchase Requirement Removal
Charlie Rafkin, University of British Columbia
Break
Defining Markets Flexibly Across Space: An Application to Physician Shortages
Xuyang Xia, Duke University
The Effects of Dialysis Firm Consolidation on Patient Health
Anwita Mahajan, University of California, San Diego
Break
Introduction by Provost Baicker
Katherine Baicker, University of Chicago Provost
Keynote
Amitabh Chandra, Harvard University
Lunch
1st Floor Dining Room
Provider Altruism and Discarded Anticancer Drugs
Geoffrey Schnorr, United States Military Academy at West Point
Illicit Drug Supply Shocks and Overdose Mortality
Adam Soliman, Clemson University
Break
Managing Drug Use Through Administrative Burden: Evidence from Medicaid
Ruochen Sun, University of Pennsylvania
Two Inefficiencies of Self-Selection: Evidence from Health Care
Hitoshi Shigeoka, University of Tokyo
Break
Going for Broker? Intermediation in Health Insurance Markets
Anran Li, University of Minnesota
Missing Markets for Innovation: Evidence from New Uses for Existing Drugs
Eric Budish, University of Chicago
Conference Adjourns
Conference Dinner
By invitation only
Breakfast
6th Floor Lounge
Doctors With(out) Borders: Effects of Easing Occupational Licensing For Foreign Physicians
Wenni Yang, University of California, Davis
The Impact of Abortion Bans on the Physician Labor Market: Compositional and Pipeline Effects
Ethan Bergmann, University of Michigan
Changes in Mortality, Health Care Use, and Spending During South Korea's Trainee Doctors' Walkout
David Kim, University of Chicago
Break
The Well-Being Effects of Digital Mental Health Care
Raissa Fabregas, University of Texas, Austin
Universal Subsidies in Pharmaceutical Markets: Lessons from Poland's Drugs 75+ Policy
Krzysztof Zaremba, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
Break
Do Pharmacies Matter?
Joseph Battles, University of Chicago
Vertical Integration and Regulated Profits in Pharmacy Benefits Markets
Eric Yde, University of Virginia
Dying Better: Hospice Care and the End of Life
Yunan Ji, Georgetown University
Lunch
1st Floor Dining Room