Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion

Profile

Dr. Roberts' research examines the provision and financing of health care in low-income populations. One stream of his work focuses on the implementation of alternative payment models (including value-based purchasing and global budgets), their impacts on care quality and utilization, and their financial implications for providers serving socially disadvantaged patients. A second stream of his research examines Medicaid policy, health care disparities, and the contribution of social risk factors-including housing instability-to health care costs in low-income populations. Much of his current research lies at the intersection of Medicaid policy and the financing and provision of care for high-cost and high-need patients. He received a career development award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to study the effects of Medicaid eligibility and payment policies on the health of low-income, aging, and disabled patients, an R01 from the National Institute of Aging to study health care disparities within the Medicare Advantage program, and a VA Merit Award to study the effects of VA community care programs on quality, safety, and equity of care among US Veterans. This research uses econometric methods for causal inference and simulation techniques to inform policymakers about the public health and financial impacts of Medicaid policies for this high-need patient population. His work has appeared in Health Affairs, JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, and Health Services Research, and has received awards from AcademyHealth and AHRQ. He has been Principal Investigator on grants funded by AHRQ, the National Institute on Aging, Veterans Health Administration, Commonwealth Fund, and Arnold Ventures.