Wesley Yin

Presents evidence from two randomized experiments relieving medical debt that counters popular understanding that medical debt relief improves financial and health outcomes. Results showed no average impact on credit access, financial distress, or mental health.

Shows that financial assistance for low-income patients increases the short-term likelihood of an inpatient, ambulatory and emergency department encounter. Also presents findings that it increases the detection and management of conditions sensitive to treatment.

Provides an estimate of the amount of medical debt in collections in the US from January 2009 to June 2020, and suggests that the amount of medical debt was highest among individuals living in the South and in lower-income communities.

Suggests that low-income individuals eligible for federal health insurance subsidies have a low willingness to pay for coverage because of informational and behavioral frictions like inattention and information search costs - but inexpensive, “low touch” interventions like mailing letters with reminders and other information can improve enrollment.

Demonstrates that when retail pharmacy chains enter the market, both the chains and existing (incumbent) pharmacies were able to offer high-quality drugs and lower prices.

Shows that increases in insurer size resulting from the implementation of Medicare Part D lowered drug prices for enrollees in the non-Medicare commercial market by 3.7%. Suggests an important external effect of public subsidies for private health insurance is the spillover effects created by providing insurers with bargaining power.

Examines whether access to and marketing of an individually held financial savings account leads to an increase in female decision-making power within the household. Finds a positive impact particularly for women who have below median decision-making power.

Examines the Orphan Drug Act’s (ODA) objective (to spur the development of drugs for rare diseases). Observes that in principle, its design also incentivizes pharmaceutical firms to develop drugs for “rare” subdivisions of more prevalent diseases and that in response to this incentive, firms develop drugs for ODA-qualifying subdivisions of non-rare diseases. Highlights inefficiencies and suggests agency problems should be considered when designing innovation policy.

Estimates changes in prescription utilization and out-of-pocket expenditures attributable to the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit. Finds that it resulted in modest increases in average drug utilization and decreases in average out-of-pocket expenditures among Part D beneficiaries.

Studies the impact of the Orphan Drug Act (ODA), which established tax incentives for rare disease drug development. Examines the flow of new clinical drug trials for a large set of rare diseases. Finds that among more prevalent rare diseases, the ODA led to a significant increase in new trials and the impact for less prevalent rare diseases was limited to an increase in the stock of drugs.

Designed a commitment savings product for a Philippine bank and implemented it. Finds that women who exhibited a lower discount rate for future relative to current trade-offs, and thus have more incentive for commitment, were indeed significantly more likely to open the commitment savings account.