Call for Papers: 2026 Health Economics Initiative Conference | Becker Friedman Institute On April 30–May 1, 2026, the Becker Friedman Institute Health Economics Initiative’s conference will bring together faculty, research professionals, and students to present the latest research on all topics in health economics. Joining the 2026 Health Economics Initiative Conference as the keynote speaker will be Ambitabh Chandra, Ethel Zimmerman Wiener Professor of Public Policy and Director of Health Read more...

📣 Call for Papers: The Becker Friedman Institute Health Economics Initiative invites submissions for its April 30–May 1, 2026 conference on all topics in health economics.
📅 Deadline: Feb 9, 2026
Organized by Josh Gottlieb & Matt Notowidigdo
🔗 https://ow.ly/uPvk50XKoms

Oh my goodness. This is horrible. I am so sorry.

Don’t let the macro environment stop anyone from looking closely at my student Joe Battles on the market this year. x.com/GottliebEcon...

Thank you for the shoutout and the data, Paul.

Research Professional – Josh Gottlieb and Matt Notowidigdo (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible) Chicago, IL

Predoc opportunity in health/labor/public economics at @beckerfriedman.bsky.social: job-boards.greenhouse.io/universityof...

Please share widely!

#EconSky

Research Professional – Josh Gottlieb and Matt Notowidigdo (Full-Time, Benefits Eligible) Chicago, IL

Predoc opportunity in health/labor/public economics at @beckerfriedman.bsky.social: job-boards.greenhouse.io/universityof...

Please share widely!

Very clear article discussing our @beckerfriedman.bsky.social / @nber.org working paper and other aspects of healthcare job growth.

The full paper together with @nealemahoney.bsky.social @siepr.bsky.social @kevinrinz.bsky.social @victoriaudalova.bsky.social is here: gottlieb.ca/papers/Healt...

Healthcare should be a macroeconomics topic

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

On May 1–2, BFI’s Health Economics Initiative Conference brought together faculty, researchers & students to share new work in health economics. Organizers: @gottliebecon.bsky.social & @profnoto.bsky.social; Keynote: Jonathan Skinner (Dartmouth). ow.ly/CJm250VSRp3 #EconSky #HealthEconomics

Thanks to all of our thoughtful speakers, attendees, keynote Jon Skinner @dartmouthcollege.bsky.social, co-organizer @profnoto.bsky.social, and the amazing @beckerfriedman.bsky.social staff for an outstanding conference!

Thank you @lhnicholas.bsky.social!

The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians* Abstract. Is government guiding the invisible hand at the top of the labor market? We use new administrative data to measure physicians’ earnings and estim

#QJE May 2025, #8, “The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians,” by Gottlieb (@gottliebecon.bsky.social), Polyakova, Rinz (@kevinrinz.bsky.social), Shiplett, and Udalova (@victoriaudalova.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Thank you @beckerfriedman.bsky.social and @ashecon.bsky.social!

Healthcare as a modern jobs engine, by Gottlieb, Mahoney, Rinz and Udalova

Healthcare is work #Econsky #Medicinesky
marketdesigner.blogspot.com/2025/03/heal...

Healthcare employment in the US has skyrocketed since 1980. Healthcare is a middle-class jobs engine, but "manufacturing-to-meds" transitions are not saving the Rust Belt, from @gottliebecon.bsky.social, @nealemahoney.bsky.social, Kevin Rinz, and Victoria Udalova https://www.nber.org/papers/w33583

The Rise of Healthcare Jobs Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers,…

A very useful set of stylized facts: healthcare has been a job growth engine, and/but there hasn't been a systematic "manufacturing to meds" pivot in places where the former has declined.

by @nealemahoney.bsky.social @gottliebecon.bsky.social @kevinrinz.bsky.social
@victoriaudalova.bsky.social

The Rise of Healthcare Jobs Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...

Much more in the draft. Check it out 👇

NBER WP: www.nber.org/papers/w33583

Ungated paper: nmahoney.people.stanford.edu/sites/g/file...

We find these high-profile manufacturing-to-meds examples are outliers that do not represent a systematic trend.

Healthcare job growth has offset 11% of the decline in manufacturing jobs.

This is roughly what you would expect based on its share of the workforce.

Politicians, the press, and researchers have advocated for a "manufacturing to meds" pivot in the Rust Belt.

Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH, and Rochester, NY are cited as prominent success stories.

Healthcare has maintained nearly constant 76% female share, while experiencing partial convergence across occupations

Large increase in female share of physicians

Offset by smaller increases in male share of nurses and aides

Unlike rest of the labor market that experienced hollowing out

Healthcare has seen strong growth in middle and upper-middle parts of earnings distribution

Powered by fast earnings growth for nurses and midlevels (PAs, NPs, CRNAs, etc)

Healthcare jobs have grown 2x faster than the overall labor market since 1980

Healthcare overtook retail to become largest industry by employment in 2009

New working paper w/ @gottliebecon.bsky.social, @kevinrinz.bsky.social and @victoriaudalova.bsky.social on the rise of healthcare jobs

How do insurance denials impact doctors & patients? Do prior authorizations limit drug use? Can better oversight reduce waste? Join @gottliebecon.bsky.social , @zarekcb.bsky.social, & Maggie Shi of @harrissocial.bsky.social, w/ @tessvigeland.bsky.social:

bfi.uchicago.edu/insights/the...

Call for Papers: 2025 Health Economics Initiative Annual Conference - Becker Friedman Institute On May 1-2, 2025, the Becker Friedman Institute Health Economics Initiative's annual conference will bring together faculty, research professionals, and students to present the latest research on all ...

Call for Papers: The 2025 Health Economics Initiative Annual Conference will bring together faculty, research professionals, and students to present the latest research on all topics in health econ. Submit papers by Feb. 10, 2025.

@gottliebecon.bsky.social @profnoto.bsky.social

ow.ly/57oe50UoGoc

The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians* Abstract. Is government guiding the invisible hand at the top of the labor market? We use new administrative data to measure physicians’ earnings and estim

Recently accepted by #QJE, “The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians,” by Gottlieb (@gottliebecon.bsky.social), Polyakova, Rinz (@kevinrinz.bsky.social), Shiplett, and Udalova (@victoriaudalova.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

cc SOLE / @jlaborecon.bsky.social -- thanks for a tremendously constructive conference!

Analysis | The average doctor in the U.S. makes $350,000 a year. Why? When economists published revealing data about doctor salaries, the backlash was intense. Why? And why do doctors earn so much more in America than in other countries?

@andrewvandam.bsky.social described some of these results for @washingtonpost.com here: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202... and understanding geographic variation: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
and I enjoyed talking to @nejm.org about related issues: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
8/8

The Hidden Economic Forces That Determine How Much You Earn | Becker Friedman Institute How much effect do government policies have on doctors’ wages? And when those wages are high, does it drive inequality in other jobs? And how does Taylor Swift factor in? Or Beyoncé? Joshua D. Gottlie...

@BeckerFriedman hosted a discussion on The Pie: bfi.uchicago.edu/podcast/the-...

and wrote up an earlier version of the paper: bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/rese...

as did @kevinrinz in this thread:
twitter.com/kevinrinz/st... 7/8

The Earnings and Labor Supply of U.S. Physicians* Abstract. Is government guiding the invisible hand at the top of the labor market? We use new administrative data to measure physicians’ earnings and estim

The published version is at doi.org/10.1093/qje/...

Don't forget to @ my tweeting and 🟦⛅️-ing coauthors: @MariaAPolyakova @kevinrinz.bsky.social & @victoriaudalova.bsky.social

6/8

These supply responses mean that earnings are not pure rents.

Not to rule out the possibility of rent-seeking in this sector, but prices seem to play meaningful roles in allocating talent and encouraging effort, despite caps on med school slots, and on training in specific specialties. 5/8

We show how specialty earnings differences also reflect training length, work hours, and physician ability.

Earnings potential also affects labor supply, as physicians adjust treatments, retirement, and specialty choice. 4/8