Eric Roberts, PhD is health economist whose research examines the provision and financing of care in low-income populations, with a focus on public insurance programs and health care delivery systems. His research encompasses three intersecting themes:
- Health insurance policy and care delivery for low-income individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid ("dual eligibles"),
- Medicare and Medicaid managed care programs, and
- The effects of payment and delivery system reforms on quality of care and health care disparities.
He is a nationally recognized expert on health insurance policy for dual eligibles, having led work examining the effects of Medicaid policy variation on health care access and disparities among low-income older adults, and on emerging models to integrate Medicare and Medicaid coverage for this population. His research also examines the effects of managed care, payment policy, and delivery system reforms on health care access and quality for vulnerable patient populations. This work includes a current R01 funded by the National Institute of Aging to examine racial and ethnic health care disparities across Medicare Advantage plans, and a VA Merit Award that examines health care disparities in new VA community care programs. His work has appeared in major medical and policy journals, including JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Health Services Research, and Health Affairs, and has received awards from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and AcademyHealth. Dr. Roberts has received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institute on Aging, the Veterans Health Administration, Arnold Ventures, and the Commonwealth Fund.
Areas of Expertise | Health Care Disparities, Home and Community-Based Care, Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare
Selected Publications:
Roberts ET, Kwon Y, Glynn , McWilliams JM, Ayanian JZ, and Tipirneni R (2023).“Racial and ethnic disparities in health care use and access associated with loss of Medicaid supplemental insurance eligibility above the federal poverty level.” JAMA Internal Medicine doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.0512.
Donohue JM, Cole ES, James CV, Jarlenski M, Michener J, Roberts ET (2022). “The US Medicaid Program: Coverage, Financing, Reforms, and Implications for Health Equity.” JAMA 328(11):1-15;doi:10.1001/jama.2022.14791.
Rogstad TL, Gupta S, Connolly J, Shrank WH, Roberts ET (2022). “Social Risk Adjustment in the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program: A Systematic Review and Implications for Policy.” Health Affairs 41(9):1307-1315.
Roberts ET and Mellor JM (2022). “Differences in care between Special Needs Plans and other Medicare coverage for dual-eligibles.” Health Affairs 41(9):1238-1247.
Roberts ET and Desai S (2021). “Does Medicaid coverage of Medicare cost sharing affect physician care for dual-eligible Medicare beneficiaries?” Health Services Research 56(3): 528-539.
Visit Dr. Roberts' Google Scholar page to view more publications