About Us
Organization Description
The Nicholas C. Petris Center is a health economics research center that focuses on empirical research on important health policy topics. It is named after former California State Senator Nicholas Petris, who advocated strongly on behalf of California consumers for affordable, accessible, and quality health care.
Our mission is to guide public policy by creating the data and conducting the research needed to understand today’s complex healthcare market. The Petris Center focuses on consumer protection, affordability, and access to health care, especially for low and middle-income individuals. Our current research is centered around concentration, regulation, and competition within healthcare markets, as well as topical issues in mental health, the health workforce, integrated care, and universal healthcare initiatives, particularly in California.
Our mission is to guide public policy by creating the data and conducting the research needed to understand today’s complex healthcare market. The Petris Center focuses on consumer protection, affordability, and access to health care, especially for low and middle-income individuals. Our current research is centered around concentration, regulation, and competition within healthcare markets, as well as topical issues in mental health, the health workforce, integrated care, and universal healthcare initiatives, particularly in California.
Are any sessions or papers being presented by your team?
Who Pays for Health Care Costs? The Effects of Health Care Prices on Wages (Dan Arnold and Chris Whaley)
This study leverages geographic variation in health care price growth caused by changes in hospital market structure, and in particular, mergers, to test the impact of health care prices on wages and benefit design.
This study leverages geographic variation in health care price growth caused by changes in hospital market structure, and in particular, mergers, to test the impact of health care prices on wages and benefit design.
What are some of your latest research projects?
Private Equity
The Petris Center, in a collaboration with the American Antitrust Institution, is releasing a report in May 2021 on the role of private equity in health care (see Petris.org). The report draws on new data and case studies to describe the growth of private equity investment in healthcare and its potential impact.
Do State Bans of Most-Favored-Nation Contract Clauses Restrain Price Growth? Evidence from Hospital Prices
This joint study with UC Hastings College of Law analyzes the impact of states banning most-favored-nation (MFN) clauses in contracts between insurers and providers. The study estimates the impact of these bans on hospital prices.
Who Pays for Health Care Costs? The Effects of Health Care Prices on Wages
This study leverages geographic variation in health care price growth caused by changes in hospital market structure, and in particular, mergers, to test the impact of health care prices on wages and benefit design.
The Association between Hospital-Physician Vertical Integration and Outpatient Physician Prices Paid by Commercial Insurers: New Evidence (funded by Commonwealth Fund)
This study explores market-level associations between hospital-physician vertical integration, billing of facility fees in outpatient settings, and physician prices paid by employer-sponsored insurance plans.
Impact Of Cross-Market Mergers On Healthcare Prices And Quality (funded by Arnold Ventures and Commonwealth Fund)
This joint study with UC Hastings College of Law studies horizontal and vertical cross-market mergers, and how they affect healthcare prices and quality.
State Laws Designed to Provide Education Resources for Children with Dyslexia
In this study, we describe state laws designed to provide education resources for children with dyslexia and estimate their impact on children’s reading and mathematics achievement scores. Based on the evidence, we will make policy recommendations to reduce educational disparities in reading and mathematics achievement for children with dyslexia.
Predictive Modeling to Identify Factors that Predict Severe Outcomes for Patients with COVID-19
This study uses predictive modeling to identify demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and clinical information that predict severe COVID-19 outcomes. Later phases of the study will estimate the acute and long-term healthcare expenditures to treat patients with COVID-19 and assess the prevalence, duration, and type of long-term, adverse health effects of COVID-19.
The Petris Center, in a collaboration with the American Antitrust Institution, is releasing a report in May 2021 on the role of private equity in health care (see Petris.org). The report draws on new data and case studies to describe the growth of private equity investment in healthcare and its potential impact.
Do State Bans of Most-Favored-Nation Contract Clauses Restrain Price Growth? Evidence from Hospital Prices
This joint study with UC Hastings College of Law analyzes the impact of states banning most-favored-nation (MFN) clauses in contracts between insurers and providers. The study estimates the impact of these bans on hospital prices.
Who Pays for Health Care Costs? The Effects of Health Care Prices on Wages
This study leverages geographic variation in health care price growth caused by changes in hospital market structure, and in particular, mergers, to test the impact of health care prices on wages and benefit design.
The Association between Hospital-Physician Vertical Integration and Outpatient Physician Prices Paid by Commercial Insurers: New Evidence (funded by Commonwealth Fund)
This study explores market-level associations between hospital-physician vertical integration, billing of facility fees in outpatient settings, and physician prices paid by employer-sponsored insurance plans.
Impact Of Cross-Market Mergers On Healthcare Prices And Quality (funded by Arnold Ventures and Commonwealth Fund)
This joint study with UC Hastings College of Law studies horizontal and vertical cross-market mergers, and how they affect healthcare prices and quality.
State Laws Designed to Provide Education Resources for Children with Dyslexia
In this study, we describe state laws designed to provide education resources for children with dyslexia and estimate their impact on children’s reading and mathematics achievement scores. Based on the evidence, we will make policy recommendations to reduce educational disparities in reading and mathematics achievement for children with dyslexia.
Predictive Modeling to Identify Factors that Predict Severe Outcomes for Patients with COVID-19
This study uses predictive modeling to identify demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and clinical information that predict severe COVID-19 outcomes. Later phases of the study will estimate the acute and long-term healthcare expenditures to treat patients with COVID-19 and assess the prevalence, duration, and type of long-term, adverse health effects of COVID-19.
Are you currently hiring or have any fellowships, post-doc positions etc. that you want to highlight?
The Petris Center plans to hire a postdoctoral fellow for the 2021-2022 academic year beginning in August. To qualify, you must have your doctorate (or equivalent international degree) in economics, health economics, health policy, or a related field. The position will be posted at https://petris.org/, including information on how to apply. Contact Crystal Haryanto at crystalharyanto@berkeley.edu for further information.