Jeffrey Clemens
Assistant Professor of Economics, University of California, San Diego
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About Jeffrey
Clemens studies a range of issues in U.S. social insurance policy. His research covers topics including stimulus spending and the redistributive role of health insurance regulations. Recent projects consider a range of channels, both historical and current, through which the federal Medicare program shapes the U.S. health sector. Clemens teaches courses on Redistribution and Social Insurance, The Economics of Health Care Producers, and Comparative Health Systems at the University of California, San Diego.
Contributions
Health Reform and the Future of Medical Innovation
Key Findings Brief,
In the News
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on generational impact of COVID-19 by Anna Almendrala, "Almost a Third of Young People Have Lost Their Jobs So Far" VICE, April 6, 2020.
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on effect of minimum wage laws on employment by Dylan Matthews, "The Economic Debate over the Minimum Wage, Explained" Vox, November 20, 2019.
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on disagreements over minimum wages by Dylan Matthews, "The Economic Debate Over the Minimum Wage, Explained" Vox Media, November 20, 2019.
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on influence of Medicare coverage on private insurance by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez, "Special Garments Ease an Agonizing Ailment. But Insurance May Not Pay" The Washington Post, October 21, 2019.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on the negative consequences of a minimum wage hike discussed by , "A ‘Very Credible’ New Study on Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage Has Bad News for Liberals," The Washington Post, July 5, 2017.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on minimum wage increases big cities like Los Angeles discussed by , "Workers Celebrate L.A.'s New $12 Minimum Wage, Businesses Brace for Impact," Los Angeles Times, July 1, 2017.
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on how minimum wage increases may be reducing employment by Bill McMorris, "Minimum Wage Maximum Unemployment" Washington Free Beacon, December 10, 2014.
Jeffrey Clemens quoted on minimum wage increase by Diana Furchtgott-Roth, "Union Interests Work against Low-Wage Workers" Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, December 9, 2014.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on who bears the burden of rising health care costs discussed by , "Who Pays for Public Employee Health Costs? Data Analysis," Journalist's Resource, June 4, 2014.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on the effects of Medicare’s payment systems on private payment systems discussed by , "Medicare Pricing Drives High Health-Care Costs," Washington Post, December 31, 2013.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on the implications of health insurance for medical innovation discussed by , "Market for Medical Equipment, Health Spending Likely to Change as ACA Expands, Economist Says," Modern Healthcare, December 26, 2013.
"James Capretta Says Obamacare is 'Massive Income Redistribution'," Jeffrey Clemens, Interview with Jon Greenberg, Tampa Bay Times, December 1, 2013.
Jeffrey Clemens's research on the effects of Medicare’s payment systems on private payment systems discussed by , "How Medicare Influences Private Payment Systems (Model This)," Marginal Revolution, October 17, 2013.
Publications
"Do Physicians' Financial Incentives Affect Treatment Patterns and Patient Health?" (with ). American Economic Review 104, no. 4 (2014): 1320-1349.
Finds that physicians significantly increase their provision of services to Medicare beneficiaries in response to increases in reimbursement rates. The provision of relatively elective services appears, in particular, to be highly sensitive to financial incentives.
"The Effect of U.S. Health Insurance Expansions on Medical Innovation," National Bureau of Economic Research, November 30, 2013.
Finds that U.S. based medical equipment patenting expanded dramatically following the 1965 introduction of Medicare and Medicaid. The evidence points to physicians themselves, in particular when treating large numbers of generously insured patients, as a primary source of medical device and equipment innovation.
"Bargaining in the Shadow of a Giant: Medicare's Influence on Private Payment Systems," (with ), National Bureau of Economic Research, September 30, 2013.
Shows that Medicare’s fee schedule significantly shapes the fee schedules adopted by private insurers. Many insurers and physicians coordinate around Medicare’s payment methodology, likely to avoid the administrative cost of erecting independent payment models.
"The Rise of the States: U.S. Fiscal Decentralization in the Postwar Period" (with ). Journal of Public Economics 96, no. 11 (2012): 1079-1091.
Examines the evolution of the roles of the federal, state, and local levels of government in the United States since the mid-20th century. Highlights the expanding role of state governments over this time period, which is associated in large part with their responsibility for managing social insurance programs.
"Fiscal Policy Multipliers on Subnational Government Spending" (with ). American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 4, no. 2 (2012): 46-68.
Estimates the effect of state government spending on economic activity, finding evidence that debt-financed increases in government spending are modestly stimulative.