Marcella Alsan
@marcellaalsan.bsky.social
Annie & Ned Lamont Professor of International Studies, Thomas J. Davis, Jr. Faculty Scholar @ SIEPR, Professor of Economics @ Stanford https://economics.stanford.edu/people/marcella-alsan www.healthinequalitylab.org
Large-scale randomized trial finds low-cost reminders increased influenza vaccination, while machine learning identified patients most responsive to incentives, from Kelsey Moran, Gail M. Rosenbaum, Amir Goren, Michelle Meyer, Christopher Chabris, and Joseph J. Doyle Jr. www.nber.org/papers/w35537
The first stop for many people caught up in the US criminal justice system is a local jail. Many have healthcare issues involving eg mental illness and/or addiction. But jails don't view themselves as healthcare facilities. @marcellaalsan.bsky.social marketdesigner.blogspot.com/2026/08/heal...
Healthcare in jails
I post market design related news and items about repugnant markets. See my Stanford profile. I have a 2026 book : Moral Economics The subtitle is "From Prostitution to Organ Sales, What Controversial Transactions Reveal About How Markets Work."
marketdesigner.blogspot.com
We are excited to share that @maya-rossin-slater.bsky.social, Arun Chandrasekhar, Petra Persson & @marcellaalsan.bsky.social, SIEPR senior fellows, have been awarded grants from @stanfordimpactlabs.bsky.social for research that promises to make a real-world impact. Read more ⬇️ tinyurl.com/SILawards
Open access in QJE!📢 Using newly assembled archival data, we show how the AMA's nationwide campaign against national health insurance, labeling it "socialized medicine" and promoting private insurance, helped steer the U.S. away from universal health care academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
Why Doesn’t the United States Have National Health Insurance? The Political Role of the American Medical Association
Abstract. This article examines how the American Medical Association (AMA) helped shape the development of the U.S. health insurance system in the critical
academic.oup.com
Featured in the latest Bulletin on Health: How Inspection Timing Affects Care Quality in US Nursing Homes www.nber.org/bh/20262/how...
The best part of #science is the #process. In this case, it was spending some years learning from my smarter, more creative colleague @vinisingh.bsky.social while on a truly meaningful question. The paper also benefitted from a caring editor, good refs + copyediting by @standarderror.bsky.social.
Manasvini Singh@vinisingh.bsky.social · last mo.It’s here, it’s finally hereeeee!!!! This paper is in the AER because of two people: my co-author @atheendar.bsky.social, and our copy-editor @sameyler.bsky.social.
Race-blind policy doesn't guarantee racial equality. The WWII GI Bill doubled white college completion but steered Black veterans into dead-end training. The gap persists today, from Lukas Althoff and Christiane Szerman www.nber.org/papers/w35339
1/ New #paper by Chuck Manski, @johnmullahy.bsky.social, and me in the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics (@amstatnews.bsky.social).
Exciting news! Prof. Janet Currie will be giving a keynote/book talk at the 2026 SITE Health Inequality Conference at Stanford, 8/31–9/1. A pioneer in health economics, Janet's work has shaped the field. #EconSky #HealthEconomics #SITEStanford Submit here! economics.stanford.edu/site/paper-s...
Paper Submission | Department of Economics
economics.stanford.edu
"These findings suggest that the rise of private health insurance in the United States was not solely due to macroeconomic forces or collective bargaining; rather it was also enabled by a strategic, interest group-financed effort to shape citizen views and influence policy." #EconSky
The Quarterly Journal of Economics@qjeharvard.bsky.social · 2mo agoRecently accepted by #QJE: “Why Doesn't the United States Have National Health Insurance? The Political Role of the American Medical Association,” by Alsan (@marcellaalsan) and Neberai (@yneberai.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Recently accepted by #QJE: “Why Doesn't the United States Have National Health Insurance? The Political Role of the American Medical Association,” by Alsan (@marcellaalsan) and Neberai (@yneberai.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Why Doesn’t the United States Have National Health Insurance? The Political Role of the American Medical Association*
Abstract. This study examines how the American Medical Association (AMA) helped shape the development of the U.S. health insurance system in the critical p
doi.org
New research led by Stanford physician-economist Marcella Alsan reveals pulse oximeter devices routinely overestimate blood oxygen levels in darker-skinned patients—a racial bias that can trigger downstream health harms for Black individuals, compounding well beyond any single inaccurate reading.
How a Biased Medical Device Is Widening the Racial Health Gap
A study by physician-economist Marcella Alsan examines how racial bias in pulse oximeters leads to Black patients receiving less follow-up care than white patients.
healthpolicy.fsi.stanford.edu
Recently accepted by #QJE: “Trust and Innovation Within the Firm: Evidence from Matched CEO-Firm Data,” by Kieu-Trang Nguyen: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Trust and Innovation Within the Firm: Evidence from Matched CEO-Firm Data*
Abstract. This paper shows that CEO’s trust enhances innovation within firms, providing a novel micro-foundation for the well-known trust-growth relationsh
doi.org
Culture and Health handbook chapter - honered to provide a lecture to iHEA - youtu.be/5CLi_XCd2fM slides available here healthinequalitylab.org/research/wor...
Culture and Health
YouTube video by IHEA
youtu.be
terrific conference w/Liran Einav as the other keynote, great presentations, a beautiful venue in Berlin - thanks to the organizers for having me
ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin@rfberlin.bsky.social · 4mo agoOur opening keynote speaker is @marcellaalsan.bsky.social of @stanforduniversity.bsky.social presenting on: Why Doesn’t the United States Have National Health Insurance? The Political Role of the AMA
If patients don’t trust doctors, the consequences for their health + the economy can be far-reaching. In a new episode of Econ To Go, @marcellaalsan.bsky.social, a Stanford physician-economist, shares her research on patient trust + the importance of remedying it. siepr.stanford.edu/av/Econ-To-G...
Grateful for the opportunity to share findings on importance of trust and representation in healthcare - thank you @alexaesperanzaa.bsky.social and @siepr.bsky.social
@healthpolicy.stanford.edu · 4mo agoIn this @siepr.bsky.social podcast, Stanford physician-economist @marcellaalsan.bsky.social explores how trust and representation shape the U.S. health care system, and how underrepresentation in clinical trials can influence both physician behavior and patient trust.
The American market for guns is among the most complex of controversial markets, since gun purchases are regarded by many Americans as repugnant, while to many others (and in the eyes of the law*) they are protected. #econsky marketdesigner.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-...
The American demand for guns (and for non-lethal firearms), by Alsan, Schwartzstein, and Stantcheva
marketdesigner.blogspot.com
most read on crimson tinyurl.com/5fptnwnf
The Economics Department Needs To Raise Its Standards | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
The issue with Economics is not just that some students can take easier courses. The concentration also fails to teach students the array of theories in the field, instead offering them a limited pers...
tinyurl.com
Forthcoming book review in the JEL: "King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency by Paul Blustein" by Ethan Ilzetzki.
King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency by Paul Blustein
(Forthcoming Article)
aeaweb.org
Looking forward to seeing this in print! It was a pleasure working with Jacob and Karthik. We study food policy in a warming world. 🌾
Econometrica@ecmaeditors.bsky.social · 5mo agoHow does agricultural policy shape climate damages? @allanhsiao.bsky.social, Jacob Moscona, and Karthik Sastry show that governments move to protect consumers when extreme heat causes food shortages, redistributing damages within and across countries. buff.ly/QqnRwi0
👇 Here's evidence that both sides of the gun ownership debate might find common ground beyond their mutual desire to feel safe, courtesy of SIEPR's @marcellaalsan.bsky.social and coauthors. #GunControl #GunViolence
NBER@nber.org · 5mo agoPeople across the gun divide share a desire for safety, but disagree about whether lethal firearms provide it. Studying non-lethal firearms as one potential approach, from @marcellaalsan.bsky.social, Joshua Schwartzstein, and Stefanie Stantcheva www.nber.org/papers/w34962
People across the gun divide share a desire for safety, but disagree about whether lethal firearms provide it. Studying non-lethal firearms as one potential approach, from @marcellaalsan.bsky.social, Joshua Schwartzstein, and Stefanie Stantcheva www.nber.org/papers/w34962
SHP's & @siepr.bsky.social's Maria Polyakova compares physician income in the U.S., Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands. U.S. doctors earn significantly more than their foreign counterparts—but that's largely because Americans across the board earn more. healthpolicy.fsi.stanford.edu/news/examini...
Examining US Physician Incomes by International Comparison
SHP's Maria Polyakova and Victoria Udalova compare physician income in the United States, Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands. U.S. doctors earn significantly more than their foreign counterparts—but t...
healthpolicy.fsi.stanford.edu
Check out the full paper and survey here: socialeconomicslab.org/research/wor... #EconTwitter [19/19]
Working Papers - Social Economics Lab
Browse Social Economics Lab's working papers from academic authors like Stefanie Stantcheva, Alberto Binetti, Francesco Nuzzi, Sandra Sequeira and many more.
socialeconomicslab.org
Overall, Americans share a common goal — safety — yet disagree about the means. Although these disagreements appear entrenched, people remain receptive to alternatives that might command broader agreement. [18/19]
One key insight from this work is disagreement stems in part from different beliefs about the safety frontier (what can create safety), not fundamentally different goals (most want safety). Beliefs can potentially be shifted, while preferences might be harder to move. [17/19]
(Very) rough back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest promoting NLFAs could prevent up to 8% of school shootings & 7% of child firearm-related suicides & accidental deaths, through shifts in storage behavior & substitution. [16/19]
