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A folder labeled "Medical Bills" and marked "past due"

Exploring the benefits of rigorous evidence with the team behind the evaluation of RIP Medical Debt

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Allison Sesso (Executive Director of RIP Medical Debt) and Wes Yin (UCLA) discuss the ongoing randomized evaluation of RIP Medical Debt’s model for buying and relieving medical debt.
Marcella Alsan leans against a short wall, facing the viewer.

Affiliate Spotlight: Marcella Alsan on her recent MacArthur Fellowship award and researching racial disparities in health

Marcella Alsan, economist, physician, and Co-Chair of J-PAL’s US Health Care Delivery Initiative, was recently selected as a recipient of a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, in recognition of her work “investigating the role that legacies of discrimination and resulting mistrust play in perpetuating racial...
People in suits stand on the steps of a large building

Leveraging learning agendas to catalyze policy relevant research: Three takeaways from federal and local approaches

This August, the White House Office of Management and Budget previewed the roll out of a government-wide learning agenda to bring together vital questions raised across government agencies. On the precipice of this exciting initiative, we reflect on the critical role that learning agendas can play...
Three people sit facing each other at a table.

Documenting systemic patterns of employment discrimination in the United States

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Researchers recently released results from a J-PAL North America funded study that documents systemic patterns of employment discrimination within large companies in the United States. In an interview with J-PAL staff, the research team shares reflections on their study, including how the randomized...
Close-up shot of the US Department of Treasure columns and roof

Promoting evidence and evaluation in the American Rescue Plan Act

Rohit Naimpally (Senior Research and Policy Manager, J-PAL North America) spoke on a US Department of Treasury technical assistance webinar in August. We reflect on key takeaways from the panel about evaluation, evidence-based interventions, and the American Rescue Plan Act.
Two nurses help a patient in bed

Strengthening randomized evaluations with qualitative research, part 4: Oregon health insurance experiment

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For the final part of our blog series on incorporating qualitative research into randomized evaluations, we spoke with Associate Professor of Social Work and co-author of the Oregon Health Insurance experiment, Heidi Allen, about how in-depth interviews with study participants helped the research...
The Seattle, Washington skyline at sunrise

Strengthening randomized evaluations with qualitative research, Part 3: Creating moves to opportunity

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In part three of our qualitative research blog series on incorporating qualitative research into randomized evaluations, we learn more about how researchers conducting the Creating Moves to Opportunity (CMTO) project embedded qualitative research methods into their study and what factors made...
A Black doctor takes the blood pressure of a seated Black man

Strengthening randomized evaluations with qualitative research, part 2: Matching provider race to increase take-up of preventive health services

For the second blog in our blog series on incorporating qualitative research into randomized evaluations, we spoke with US Health Care Delivery Initiative Co-Chair Marcella Alsan about her research team’s experience using qualitative research methods in the scoping and analysis phases of their...