Research Program
USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy
The USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy is a partnership between Economic Studies at Brookings and the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. It aims to inform the national health care debate with rigorous, evidence-based analysis leading to practical recommendations using the collaborative strengths of USC and Brookings.
Program Leadership
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Richard G. Frank, PhD
Director, USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy
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Erin Trish, PhD
Co-Director, USC Schaeffer Center
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Economics, USC School of Pharmacy
Perspectives
Program Team
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Loren Adler
Associate Director, USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy
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Matthew Fiedler, PhD
Fellow, USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy
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Erin L. Duffy, PhD
Research Scientist, USC Schaeffer Center
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Paul Ginsburg, PhD
Senior Fellow, USC Schaeffer Center
Professor, Practice of Health Policy and Management, USC Price School of Public Policy -
Mark Hall
Nonresident Senior Fellow, USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy, Center for Health Policy at Brookings
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Jason Levitis
Nonresident Fellow, USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy
Nonresident Senior Fellow at Yale Law School’s Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy
Featured Research

Private Equity-Owned Air Ambulance Carriers Get Paid More Money and Are Out-of-Network More Often
In this analysis, we build on that prior work to document differences in allowed amounts, out-of-network prevalence, and the magnitude of potential surprise balance bills across ownership types in the helicopter air ambulance market.

Private Equity Investment as a Divining Rod for Market Failure: Policy Responses to Harmful Physician Practice Acquisitions
It is unclear whether private equity investment is itself a problem or whether, in the absence of private equity, other sources of capital—such as public equity, venture capital, health systems, and insurers—would similarly exploit existing market failures and legal loopholes in the healthcare system.

Commercial and Medicare Advantage Payment for Anesthesiology Services
This study compares payments for common outpatient anesthesiology services by commercial health plans, Medicare Advantage (MA), and traditional Medicare.

Payment for Dialysis Services in the Individual Market
Monthly spending on outpatient dialysis services for end-stage kidney disease patients was three times higher for patients insured in the individual market compared to patients insured through Medicare.