FEATURE STORIES

Assessing Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Data

The latest LDI Issue Brief featuring research by Norma Coe summarized a white paper on major LTSS data sources and identified opportunities to strengthen research and policymaking.

Heart Failure Patients and Housing Cost Burden

Joniqua Ceasar, Lauren Eberly, Ashwin Nathan, Eric T. Roberts, Vincent Reina, Peter Groeneveld, and Sameed Khatana found an association between housing cost burden and risk of hospital or ED visits for heart issues among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Fixing Diet-Related Disease

In an op-ed for The Hill, George Dalembert called for investment in food access, safe places to be active, and stronger prevention through programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

How Playing Games May Save Lives

Research by LDI Fellows in the emerging field of gamification demonstrated how it can encourage healthier behaviors like increased physical activity.

Patients Face New Barriers for GLP-1 Drugs

Matthew Klebanoff, Jalpa Doshi, and Judith Long found marked increases in prior authorization requirements for GLP-1s by Medicare and Medicaid.

 CALL FOR FACULTY MENTORS

Mentor a 2026 SUMR Scholar

Applications to be a mentor are open for the Summer Undergraduate Mentored Research Program (SUMR). Mentor applications are due March 15.

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Making Secondary Data Work for You: Innovative Methods for Leveraging National Violent Death Data

Tuesday, February 10, 2026
12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

A Conversation with Millan AbiNader, PhD, MSW, Laurie Graham, PhD, MSW, and Julie Kafka, PhD, MPH.

Virtual seminar open to the public.

Keeping the Momentum: Moving Forward in the Opioid Epidemic

Friday, February 13, 2026
12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

A Conversation with Jonathan Caulkins, PhD, Yngvild Olsen, MD, MPH, and Rachel Winograd, PhD. Moderated by Zachary Meisel, MD, MPH.

Virtual seminar open to the public.

EVENT VIDEO RECAPS

Unpacking the Federal Drug Price Reduction Struggle

Over 600 registrants tuned in to our virtual seminar to hear national experts discuss what to expect from the current administration's drug pricing policy.

IN THE MEDIA

“California Wildfire Smoke Exposure During Pregnancy Linked to Autism Risk in Children.” David Mandell. NBC News

“States Race To Launch Rural Health Transformation Plans.” Paula Chatterjee. KFF Health News

“Exclusive: US FDA Delays Two Drug Reviews in New Voucher Program After Safety, Efficacy Concerns.” Holly Fernandez Lynch. Reuters

“Donald Trump’s ‘Great Healthcare Plan’ Leaves Unanswered Questions.” Mark Pauly. Newsweek

“Why America’s Bond Market Just Keeps Winning.” Kent Smetters. The Economist

PUBLICATIONS

“Identifying Ultra-Processed Foods for Policy.” Alyssa J. Moran, Neha Khandpur, Christina A. Roberto. Nature Medicine

“Geographical and Racial and/or Ethnic Disparities in Pediatric ARDS Mortality in the USA, 2016–2022: A Triennial National Database Retrospective Cohort Analysis.” Garrett Keim, Paula Magee, Cody Gathers, Anireddy R. Reddy, Charlotte Z. Woods-Hill, Nadir Yehya. Lancet Regional Health Americas

“Subscription-Based Pricing for Lenacapavir-Learning From Hepatitis C and Cabotegravir.” Michael R. Rose, Charles Flexner, Victor Roy. JAMA

“Aligning AI Payment Policy With Desired Outcomes Rather Than Inputs May Require Customized Pathways.” Sita K. Kottilil, Amol S. Navathe. Health Affairs

“Characterising Concerns and Misinformation Shaping Global HIV Vaccine Confidence and Demand: A Structured Literature Search and Content Analysis.” Simamkele Bokolo, Megan Rabin, Sarah Penuela-Wermers, Candice Maylene Chetty-Makka, Teniola I. Egbe, Harsha Thirumurthy, Brendan Maughan-Brown, Alison Buttenheim. BMJ Global Health

Penn’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics is a national leader in advancing health policy through transformative research.