Research
Job Market Paper
Get Fit with MA? Estimating the Impact of Medicare Advantage on Physical Activity
with Jing Li
This paper studies whether Medicare Advantage enrollment increases physical activity around the age-65 Medicare eligibility threshold. Using nationally representative survey data and a regression discontinuity difference-in-differences design, we find a larger increase in daily exercise among MA enrollees relative to the comparison group, with stronger responses among women, non-White adults, and adults without a college degree.
Topics: Medicare Advantage · Physical Activity · Healthy Aging · Causal Inference
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Associations between Use of Targeted Therapies, Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits Among Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
with R. Ta, K. E. Lee, and J. Li
Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy
Factors Associated with Discontinued Participation in a Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program in Seattle, Washington (United States): The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Engaging Non-English Speakers
with P. Chaparro, J. Wallace, J. Jones-Smith, B. Baquero, and M. Knox
Preventive Medicine Reports (2026), 103567
This study examines discontinued participation in Seattle’s Fresh Bucks fruit and vegetable incentive program, with particular attention to the role of community-supported enrollment in engaging non-English-speaking households.
Working Papers
Cross-National Analysis of the Determinants of Later-Life Cognitive Performance in the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico
with Jing Li, Chris Soria, Jorge Llibre-Guerra, M.-M. Liu, D. Acosta, I. Jiménez Velázquez, J. J. Llibre-Rodriguez, and William H. Dow
This study examines cross-national differences in later-life cognitive performance in the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico, with particular attention to the contribution of education and other socioeconomic characteristics.
Available upon request.
Light Physical Activity, Functional Reserve, and Nursing-Home Use among Older Medicare Beneficiaries
with H. M. Kim
This study examines the relationship between light physical activity, functional reserve, and nursing-home use among older Medicare beneficiaries.
Available upon request.
Move to Move? Neighborhood Fitness Culture and Exercise Among Older Adults
This paper studies whether neighborhood fitness culture affects physical activity among older adults. Using the Health and Retirement Study linked to restricted ZIP-code identifiers, I examine whether changes in neighborhood fitness culture following residential moves are associated with changes in exercise behavior. The analysis combines a mover-based design with event-study evidence to study the role of local environments in shaping preventive health behavior.
Topics: Neighborhood Effects · Physical Activity · Healthy Aging
Available upon request.
Fitness and Childhood Obesity in Slovenia: Evidence from Municipal Data
with G. Starc, T. Jagrič, B. Leskošek, A. Martinko, M. Sorić, P. Došenović Bonča, and G. Jurak
This study examines geographic variation in childhood fitness and obesity using municipal-level data from Slovenia.
Available upon request.
Fitness as National Capital: A Simulation Model of Fitness and Healthcare Costs
with T. Jagrič, P. Došenović Bonča, G. Starc, B. Leskošek, A. Martinko, M. Sorić, and G. Jurak
This project develops a simulation framework linking population fitness to long-run healthcare costs.
Available upon request.
Do Unionized Firms Have Better Management Practices?
with Arnab Basu
Using restricted data from the World Management Survey, we examine the relationship between labor unions and management practices across private manufacturing firms in Latin America, North America, and Europe. We find that unionized firms are better managed overall, while the relationship differs across management domains. Unionized firms score lower on people-management practices but higher on operations, monitoring, and target-setting practices.
Work in Progress
Occupational Characteristics and Rural–Urban Disparities in Later-Life Cognitive Performance
with Jing Li and William H. Dow
This project examines whether occupational characteristics help explain rural–urban disparities in later-life cognitive performance. Using Health and Retirement Study data linked to O*NET, the analysis characterizes occupations along cognitive, social-interaction, and machine-related dimensions and studies their contribution to geographic differences in cognitive outcomes.
Where Seniors Sweat: Geographic Variation in SilverSneakers Uptake
with Liza Rovniak and Dori Rosenberg
This project studies geographic variation in participation in SilverSneakers among older adults, with a focus on differences in uptake, participation intensity, adherence, and dropout across communities. The analysis examines how local program availability, Medicare Advantage penetration, facility access, and population characteristics are associated with participation in supplemental fitness benefits.