Healthcare
Healthcare costs continue to rise across the system but without marked improvements in healthcare quality. This imbalance disproportionately affects the most vulnerable Americans, who depend on Medicaid for healthcare. Mercatus research focuses on how to make Medicaid more fiscally sustainable and able to deliver better care to those who need it. Mercatus is also developing ways to quantify the impact of regulations on quality, access, and cost in US healthcare.
Featured
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Strengthening Social Security: An Overview for Policymakers
An analytical framework for evaluating Social Security reforms
        - | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
The Unintended Consequences of the Affordable Care Act
How the ACA’s Medicaid expansion diverted resources from low-income children
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Impact of Deregulation on Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals: Evidence from Certificate-of-Need Repeals
How the repeal of Certificate-of-Need laws improves access to specialized, high-acuity medical care for the elderly
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Did Medicaid Expansion Improve Health? Nine Years of Follow-Up Data Show Limited Impact
Program expansion failed to achieve one of its central goals—improving the health of low-income adults
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Failure of Mississippi’s Certificate-of-Need Laws
Mississippi House of Representatives, Select Committee on Healthcare Reform Hearing on Certificate of Need (CON)
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Hidden Subsidy of the Affordable Care Act
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Handy Guide to a Very Messy Health System | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
What Happens to the Uninsured Rate When Millions Lose Medicaid Coverage? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Inaugural Open Health Podcast: The Sexy and Not-so-sexy Future of AI in Healthcare | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: Are Certificate-of-need Laws Helping or Hurting Rural Healthcare? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
The Misguided Laws Contributing to America’s Rural Health Crisis | The Hill
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Recessions Affect Mortality — Just Not in the Way You Think | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Medicaid’s Flawed Response to Economic Downturns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
From Proposal to Policy: Does Policy Reflect the Quality or the Quantity of Evidence? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Those Covered Under Medicaid Expansion Are Costing Much More Than Expected | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: The Deadly Effects of Nursing Home Lockdowns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Flight Plan for Healthcare: Diagnosing Why We Need More Efficient Regulation | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Did the ACA Undermine the Beneficial Effects of Medicaid for Children? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Red Ink: Congress Can’t Control Spending Without Reforming How We Pay For Health Care | Open Health Policy
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Strengthening Social Security: An Overview for Policymakers
An analytical framework for evaluating Social Security reforms
        - | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
The Unintended Consequences of the Affordable Care Act
How the ACA’s Medicaid expansion diverted resources from low-income children
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Impact of Deregulation on Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals: Evidence from Certificate-of-Need Repeals
How the repeal of Certificate-of-Need laws improves access to specialized, high-acuity medical care for the elderly
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Did Medicaid Expansion Improve Health? Nine Years of Follow-Up Data Show Limited Impact
Program expansion failed to achieve one of its central goals—improving the health of low-income adults
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Failure of Mississippi’s Certificate-of-Need Laws
Mississippi House of Representatives, Select Committee on Healthcare Reform Hearing on Certificate of Need (CON)
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Hidden Subsidy of the Affordable Care Act
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Handy Guide to a Very Messy Health System | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
What Happens to the Uninsured Rate When Millions Lose Medicaid Coverage? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Inaugural Open Health Podcast: The Sexy and Not-so-sexy Future of AI in Healthcare | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: Are Certificate-of-need Laws Helping or Hurting Rural Healthcare? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
The Misguided Laws Contributing to America’s Rural Health Crisis | The Hill
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Recessions Affect Mortality — Just Not in the Way You Think | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Medicaid’s Flawed Response to Economic Downturns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
From Proposal to Policy: Does Policy Reflect the Quality or the Quantity of Evidence? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Those Covered Under Medicaid Expansion Are Costing Much More Than Expected | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: The Deadly Effects of Nursing Home Lockdowns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Flight Plan for Healthcare: Diagnosing Why We Need More Efficient Regulation | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Did the ACA Undermine the Beneficial Effects of Medicaid for Children? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Red Ink: Congress Can’t Control Spending Without Reforming How We Pay For Health Care | Open Health Policy
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Impact of Deregulation on Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals: Evidence from Certificate-of-Need Repeals
How the repeal of Certificate-of-Need laws improves access to specialized, high-acuity medical care for the elderly
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Did Medicaid Expansion Improve Health? Nine Years of Follow-Up Data Show Limited Impact
Program expansion failed to achieve one of its central goals—improving the health of low-income adults
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
The Hidden Subsidy of the Affordable Care Act
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Book Chapters Book Chapters
 
Pursuing Medicare Reform in the Context of a Financing Crisis
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
A Revised Economic Analysis For OSHA's COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Journal Articles Journal Articles
 
ADA to Ph.D.? The Americans with disabilities act and post-secondary educational attainment
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Indoor Vaccine Mandates in US Cities, Vaccination Behavior, and COVID-19 Outcomes
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Understanding Nonprofit and Government Ownership: Evidence from Nursing Homes in the COVID-19 Pandemic
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Intended and Unintended Effects of Nursing Home Isolation Measures
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
 - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Journal Articles Journal Articles
 
Covid in the Nursing Homes: The US Experience
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Research Papers Research Papers
 
The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion Is Shifting Resources away from Low-Income Children
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Research Papers Research Papers
 
Healthcare Openness and Access Project: Methodology
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Research Papers Research Papers
 
Pandemic Problem Solvers: Private Markets and the Public Sector
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Research Papers Research Papers
 
Virtual Health in a Post–COVID World: Optimizing Regulation, Reimbursement, and Regularity
- | F. A. Hayek Program F. A. Hayek Program
 - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Research Papers Research Papers
 
Native American Healthcare, Bureaucracy, and Poverty: Institutional Problems and Solutions
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
 - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Journal Articles Journal Articles
 
Did the affordable care act increase the availability of employer-sponsored health insurance?
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Midwifery Licensing: Medicalization of Birth and Special Interests
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Working Papers Working Papers
 
Nursing the Opioid Crisis
Latest work in Healthcare
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Federal Medicaid Funding Needs an Overhaul: Evidence in 10 Graphs
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Congress and CDC Overreach
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Policies to Address Low Availability and High Costs in Maternity Care
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
North Carolina’s Certificate-of-Need Program: Three Numbers Everyone Should Know about CON Laws
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Increasing Funding for the Indian Health Service to Improve Native American Health Outcomes
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Reducing Poverty to Improve Native American Health Outcomes
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Increasing the Supply of Healthcare for Native Americans
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Improving Accountability and Performance in the Indian Health Service
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Expanding Pharmacists’ Prescriptive Authority: Options for Reform
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Telehealth Payment Parity Laws at the State Level
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Allowing Compounding Pharmacies to Address Drug Shortages
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
West Virginia’s Certificate-of-Need Program: Lessons from Research
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
For Greater Healthcare Access, License Physicians Like Pilots
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Better Healthcare through Hospital Avoidance: A Path to Providing Healthcare in the Home
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
A Snapshot of Healthcare Regulations in Southeastern States
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
Understanding CBO’s Medicare for All Cost Estimates
- | Regulation Regulation
 - | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
 
The Benefits of HHS’s SUNSET Regulation
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Strengthening Social Security: An Overview for Policymakers
An analytical framework for evaluating Social Security reforms
        - | Government Spending Government Spending
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
The Unintended Consequences of the Affordable Care Act
How the ACA’s Medicaid expansion diverted resources from low-income children
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Medicaid Expansion and Mental Health
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
How Medicare Part B’s Physician Fee Schedule Drives Up Spending and Influences the Provision of Care
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Certificate-of-Need Laws Limit Access to Healthcare—Repealing Them Reduces Costs and Improves Quality
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Home Healthcare: Removing Barriers to Innovation, Delivering More and Better Care
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Pharmacy Regulation
Breaking Down Barriers, Delivering More Care
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
COVID-19 Shows Why America Needs Regulatory Reform
A “Fresh Start” Is How to Get It
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Policy Spotlights Policy Spotlights
 
Increasing Access to Quality, Lower-Cost Healthcare in Vermont: A Policy Recommendation
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Effectiveness of Vaccine Mandates | Fox News Radio
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Citywide Vaccine Mandates Did Nothing to Stop COVID’s Spread | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT (PA)
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | TV Appearance TV Appearance
 
Study Shows DC’s Indoor Vaccine Mandate Didn’t Work | Fox News 5 (DC)
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | TV Appearance TV Appearance
 
Indoor Vaccine Mandates Failed Intended Objectives | Fox News 5 (DC)
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
Medicaid Expansion Moves Low-income Children to the Back of the Line | Heartland Daily Podcast
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Medicare for All | The Lars Larson Show
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Medicare for All | American Radio Journal
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
Public Health and Conservatives: Time for Affirmative Action? | The Accad and Koka Report
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
Politicization of Public Health and the Danger of Woke Speech Codes | Academia Uncensored
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
Don’t Wait on Washington for Healthcare Reform | ALEC's "Across the States" Podcast
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
The Case for Physician-Owned Hospitals | The Accad and Koka Report Podcast
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
For Greater Healthcare Access, License Physicians Like Pilots | John Batchelor Radio Show
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
Why American Health Care is Broken and How to Fix It | The Forgotten America Podcast
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
 - | Discourse Magazine Podcast Discourse Magazine Podcast
 
Fortress and Frontier: Healthcare’s Reluctant Revolution
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Podcast Appearance Podcast Appearance
 
New Roles & Regulations for Pharmacy Technicians | Pharmacy Podcast Nation
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
 - | Discourse Magazine Podcast Discourse Magazine Podcast
 
Fortress and Frontier: The Narayana System and Innovations in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Mercatus Original Podcasts Mercatus Original Podcasts
 - | Discourse Magazine Podcast Discourse Magazine Podcast
 
Fortress and Frontier: What the Data Say About COVID-19
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Robert Graboyes on The Lars Larson Show - Healthcare Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
 
Robert Graboyes on The David Webb Show - Healthcare Policy
Latest work in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Failure of Mississippi’s Certificate-of-Need Laws
Mississippi House of Representatives, Select Committee on Healthcare Reform Hearing on Certificate of Need (CON)
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Impact of Medicaid Expansion in Montana
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Medicaid Is Rife with Ineligible Enrollments and Ripe for Reform
Pennsylvania House of Representatives State Government Committee Improper Payments and Government Waste
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
 
The Benefits of Mobilizing Nurse Practitioners in Kansas
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Greater Autonomy and Integration for Midwives Improves Maternity Care Outcomes
Ohio House Families, Aging, and Human Services Committee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
South Carolina's Certificate-of-Need Program: Three Numbers Everyone Should Know about CON Laws
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Alaska's Certificate-of-Need Program: Three Numbers Everyone Should Know about CON Laws
Alaska Senate Finance Committee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Missouri's Certificate-of-Need Program: Lessons from Research
Missouri Senate Committee on Health and Pensions
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Benefits of Mobilizing Nurse Practitioners in Kansas
Kansas Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Missouri Pharmacists Can Provide Effective Patient Therapies
Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Benefits of Mobilizing Clinical Nurse Specialists in Virginia
Virginia House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Benefits of Mobilizing Nurse Practitioners in Virginia
Virginia House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
West Virginia's Certificate-of-Need Program: Five Numbers Everyone Should Know about CON
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
 
Comment to the Healthy Future Task Force Security Subcommittee
Healthy Future Task Force Security Subcommittee
        - | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
 
Comment to the Healthy Future Task Force Security Subcommittee
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
 
Comment to the Healthy Future Task Force Security Subcommittee
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
Missouri's Certificate-of-Need Program: Lessons from Research
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
 
Healthcare Quality, Insurance Coverage, Pandemic Policy, and Competition: Four Areas for Reform
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | State Testimonies State Testimonies
 
The Benefits of Mobilizing Nurse Practitioners in Delaware
Testimony before the Senate Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee
        - | Antitrust and Competition Antitrust and Competition
 - | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
 
Addressing Anticompetitive Conduct and Consolidation in Healthcare Markets: The Roles of State and Federal Regulation and Antitrust Law
Statement for the Record Submitted to the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
        Latest work in Healthcare
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Handy Guide to a Very Messy Health System | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
What Happens to the Uninsured Rate When Millions Lose Medicaid Coverage? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Inaugural Open Health Podcast: The Sexy and Not-so-sexy Future of AI in Healthcare | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: Are Certificate-of-need Laws Helping or Hurting Rural Healthcare? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
The Misguided Laws Contributing to America’s Rural Health Crisis | The Hill
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Recessions Affect Mortality — Just Not in the Way You Think | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Medicaid’s Flawed Response to Economic Downturns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
From Proposal to Policy: Does Policy Reflect the Quality or the Quantity of Evidence? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Those Covered Under Medicaid Expansion Are Costing Much More Than Expected | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: The Deadly Effects of Nursing Home Lockdowns | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
A Flight Plan for Healthcare: Diagnosing Why We Need More Efficient Regulation | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Did the ACA Undermine the Beneficial Effects of Medicaid for Children? | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Red Ink: Congress Can’t Control Spending Without Reforming How We Pay For Health Care | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Medicaid Expansion and the Opioid Overdose Crisis | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Best of Open Health: Rapid Antigen Tests — a Missed Opportunity | Open Health Policy
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
 
Ten Years In, the Medicaid Expansion Is Failing the Neediest Americans | The Hill
- | Healthcare Healthcare
 - | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary