Jeff Marr

Jeff Marr

PhD Candidate

Johns Hopkins University

Biography

I am a Health Economics and Policy PhD Candidate at Johns Hopkins University. I study health care markets using econometric methods and administrative data. My research has been published in leading health policy journals, including Health Affairs and Health Services Research. I am on the 2024-2025 job market.

Interests

  • Applied microeconomics
  • Health economics

Education

  • PhD in Health Economics and Policy, 2025 (Expected)

    Johns Hopkins University

  • BA in Economics, 2018

    Colgate University

Job Market Paper

Algorithmic Decision-Making in Health Care: Evidence from Post-Acute Care in Medicare Advantage

Abstract: Health insurers use predictive algorithms to determine the necessary level of care and deny services they deem unnecessary. Using a difference-in-differences design, I study the partnership of a large Medicare Advantage insurer with a firm that uses a predictive algorithm to aid post-acute care coverage decisions. This partnership led to an immediate and sustained 13 percent decline in the length of skilled nursing facility stays. This effect was partially driven by large declines in longer skilled nursing facility stays (over 30 days). Despite reductions in health care use, I don’t observe changes in health outcomes following the adoption of the predictive algorithm.

Selected Publications

Meiselbach MK, Larweh H, Marr J., & Xu J. (2024). Overlap in Carriers and Networks in Medicaid and the Individual Marketplace: Implications for the Public Health Emergency Unwinding. Health Affairs.

Marr J. & Polsky D. (2024). Traditional Medicare Supplemental Insurance and the Rise of Medicare Advantage. American Journal of Managed Care.

Marr J., Polsky D., & Meiselbach MK. (2024). Commercial Insurer Market Power and Medicaid Managed Care Networks. Medical Care Research & Review.

Marr J. & Shen K. (2024). Medicare Advantage Growth and Skilled Nursing Facility Finances. Health Services Research.

Meiselbach MK, Marr J., & Wang Y. (2024). Trends in Enrollment in Self-Funded Employer-Sponsored Insurance. Health Affairs.

Marr J., Wang Y., Xu J., Bai G., Anderson G., Meiselbach MK. (2023). Hospital Prices in Medicaid Managed Care. JAMA Network Open.

Marr J., Meiselbach MK., & Polsky D. (2023). Trends in Medicare Advantage Participation among Commercial Insurers. American Journal of Managed Care.

Marr J., Ritchie C., Leff B., & Ornstein K. (2023). Home-Based Medical Care Use in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare in 2018. Health Affairs.

Marr J., Akosa Antwi Y., & Polsky D. (2023). Medicare Advantage and Dialysis Facility Choice. Health Services Research.

Teaching Assistance

Applied Microeconomics for Policymaking (MS/MPH)

Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023

Health Economics (MS/MPH)

Spring 2023

Intermediate Health Economics (MS/MPH)

Spring 2023, Spring 2024

Introduction to Health Economics (MS/MPH)

Spring 2024