Michael L. Barnett
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mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett
@mlbarnett.bsky.social
2.2K followers 910 following 140 posts

health policy researcher, primary care physician, dad

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Sociology 22%
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mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Sep 8
New paper w/ Brian McGarry, Ashvin Gandhi, and Drew Wilcock in @jamainternalmed.com!

Hospitals are complaining across the US that patients are "stuck" waiting for rehab beds at nursing homes when they are medically stable and ready for discharge. What is going on??

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Question Has hospital length of stay increased more for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries than for traditional Medicare beneficiaries since the COVID-19 pandemic?Findings In this cohort study involving more than 89 million hospitalizations from 2017 to the third quarter of 2023, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries experienced disproportionately greater increases in extended hospital stays, especially among those discharged to skilled nursing facilities.Meaning These findings suggest that the Medicare Advantage plan design and practices may contribute to hospital discharge delays, with implications for patient outcomes and hospital capacity as enrollment continues to rise.

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 11h
this will haunt my nightmares tonight

Reposted by Michael Barnett

bjegorovic.bsky.social
Boris Jegorović, MD, PhD, DTMH @bjegorovic.bsky.social · 17h
#IDSky Blood culture from the febrile patient in ICU. Proteus miralbilis is isolated (susceptibility below). How would you treat?
@dralicehan.bsky.social
@antibioticdoc.bsky.social
@bradspellberg.bsky.social
@idiots-pod.bsky.social
@wwrighid.bsky.social
@cortes-penfield.bsky.social

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Ben Barr, Daniel Kuehn , and 3 more

jakemgrumbach.bsky.social
Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 3d
New QJE for the minimum wage literature uses IRS data to study effects on small and medium size businesses. The effects seem…very good

academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
Who's Afraid of the Minimum Wage? Measuring the Impacts on Independent Businesses Using Matched U.S. Tax Returns* Nirupama L Rao, Max Risch The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 141, Issue 1, February 2026, Pages 373-427, https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjaf053 Published: 10 December 2025 Article history V PDF • Split View 66 Cite P Permissions < Share V Abstract A common concern surrounding minimum wage policies is their impact on independent businesses, which are often feared to be less able to bear or pass on cost increases. We examine how these typically small and medium-size firms accommodate minimum wage increases along product and labor market margins using a matched owner-firm-worker panel data set drawn from the universe of U.S. tax records over a 10-year period, and using state minimum wage changes as identifying variation. We find that on average, firms in highly exposed industries do not substantially reduce employment-they do not lay off workers but moderately reduce part-time hiring. Instead, these firms are able to fully finance the new labor costs with new revenues, leaving average owner profits unchanged. Higher wage floors, however, forestall entry, particularly for less productive firms, reducing the number of independent firms operating in these industries by roughly 2%. Yet these industries do not shrink; instead, incumbent responses and strong positive selection among entrants reshape industries that rely heavily on low-wage workers, yielding fewer but more productive firms after the cost shock. We also take a worker-level perspective to examine how potentially vulnerable individuals are affected by minimum wage increases. Using panels of low-earning and young workers, we find that their average earnings rise substantially with the minimum wage, while they are no less likely to be employed. Worker transitions indicate that minimum wage increases boost retention and that worker reallocation from independent firms toward corporations buffers dis…

Reposted by Michael Barnett

paulsaxmd.bsky.social
Paul Sax @paulsaxmd.bsky.social · 5d
One of the most honest answers in medicine remains: “We just don’t know.”

Especially true for the flu -- timing, transmission, vaccines, all still full of surprises.

Five questions, five reflections on why the flu keeps humbling us. #IDsky #Medsky blogs.nejm.org/hiv-id-obser...
Influenza -- So Familiar, Still So Mysterious
In what feels like the fastest-peaking influenza season in quite some time, I find myself returning to a familiar answer when asked questions about this miserable virus: “We just don’t know.” At least...
blogs.nejm.org

Reposted by Michael Barnett

mathewkiang.com
Mathew Kiang @mathewkiang.com · 5d
In a new, timely project led by @nathanlo.bsky.social, we collected vaccine exemption rates (mostly) at the county-level for nearly all states.

Now up at @jama.com: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Reposted by Michael Barnett

hannahrabrams.bsky.social
Hannah R. Abrams @hannahrabrams.bsky.social · 6d
SNF capacity is the bottleneck that keeps people waiting in ER hallways and make-shift hospital rooms. SNF beds are crucial to our health system. Since 2020, capacity is down 5%, with less slack, due to staffing shortages.

@jamainternalmed.com @mlbarnett.bsky.social: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 6d
new paper from my team!!

Reposted by Michael Barnett

mcgarrybe.bsky.social
Brian McGarry @mcgarrybe.bsky.social · 6d
New work from @mlbarnett.bsky.social, Andrew Wilcock, Ashvin Gandhi, Fangli Geng, David Grabowski, & me in @jamainternalmed.com documenting declines in SNF capacity in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Changes in US Skilled Nursing Facility Capacity Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
This cross-sectional study assesses changes in skilled nursing facility capacity after the COVID-19 pandemic primarily using Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services data from 2019 to 2024 on Medi...
jamanetwork.com

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 28d
I wonder who can do the quarterbacking! 🤔
aciaccia.bsky.social Antonio Ciaccia @aciaccia.bsky.social · 28d
A often-overlooked fallout of our fragmented drug distribution system: patients with too many medicines, too many prescribers, too many pharmacies, and not enough quarterbacking of the entirety of the patient’s treatment journey.

www.wsj.com/health/healt...
America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated
One in six seniors enrolled in Medicare’s drug benefit were prescribed eight or more medications at the same time, an analysis of Medicare data found.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Stacie B. Dusetzina

aciaccia.bsky.social
Antonio Ciaccia @aciaccia.bsky.social · 28d
A often-overlooked fallout of our fragmented drug distribution system: patients with too many medicines, too many prescribers, too many pharmacies, and not enough quarterbacking of the entirety of the patient’s treatment journey.

www.wsj.com/health/healt...
America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated
One in six seniors enrolled in Medicare’s drug benefit were prescribed eight or more medications at the same time, an analysis of Medicare data found.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Scott L. Greer

awgaffney.bsky.social
Adam Gaffney @awgaffney.bsky.social · 28d
Our new study just up in JAMA IM: we track Americans' out-of-pocket health spending longitudinally over a four-year period, showing that risks mount year after year. Whereas 11.8% of adults experience healthcare financial strain after 1 year, risk rises to 26.7% over four years

Reposted by Michael Barnett, John Mullahy, Aaron Sojourner

atheendar.bsky.social
Atheendar Venkataramani @atheendar.bsky.social · Dec 16
IT LIVES!

First draft: 2011

This draft: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xh3sg...

In between: 12 years of being under review (of which half are on us). +1 coauthor. For me personally: a few moves, a few jobs, a few kids.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Peter Thorne, Scott L. Greer , and 11 more

mksongbird.bsky.social
Grant @mksongbird.bsky.social · Dec 14
so far tonight msnbc has interviewed two students from brown university that are also survivors of separate high school shootings.

insanity.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Barrett

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Joshua Goodman, Valerie Mueller , and 7 more

florianederer.bsky.social
Florian Ederer @florianederer.bsky.social · Dec 10
The brilliant Kate Ho has passed away.

She was an amazing economist and a genuinely kind human being. Her work shaped how we think about healthcare markets and her generosity touched everyone lucky enough to know her.

The profession and the world are poorer without her.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Dorothy Bishop , and 7 more

aedwardslevy.bsky.social
Ariel Edwards-Levy @aedwardslevy.bsky.social · Dec 10
"there's a new serif in town"
phillewis.bsky.social Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · Dec 10
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Mark Lubell, Nancy­ Knowlton­ , and 5 more

bistline.bsky.social
John Bistline @bistline.bsky.social · Dec 9
Wow... NYC's congestion pricing has led to big drops in PM2.5 and real improvements in local air quality.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Megan L. Ranney, John Mullahy , and 6 more

jacobwswallace.bsky.social
Jacob Wallace @jacobwswallace.bsky.social · Dec 8
🚨 Predoc Opportunity at Yale! 🚨

Care about research that changes policy?

My research team works within state government to advance evidence and learning for a smarter safety net!

And our predocs have excellent PhD placements. Apply here!

#EconSky #EconTwitter #Predoc #ResearchJobs #HealthPolicy
Economics of the Safety Net
tobin.yale.edu

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Dec 8
i mean, as a expert and doctor i'm biased, but this comment is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
joshuajfriedman.com Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · Dec 8
Justice Jackson to Solicitor General Sauer (just now, in Trump v. Slaughter arguments):
"I guess I have a very different view of the dangers and real-world consequences of your position than what you explored with Justice Kavanaugh. My understanding was that independent agencies exist because Congress has decided that some issues, some matters, some areas should be handled in this way by nonpartisan experts—that Congress is saying that expertise matters with respect to aspects of the economy and transportation and the various independent agencies that we have. "So having a president come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don't know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States."

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Alan Richardson, Nathan Richardson , and 2 more

joshuajfriedman.com
Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · Dec 8
Justice Jackson to Solicitor General Sauer (just now, in Trump v. Slaughter arguments):
"I guess I have a very different view of the dangers and real-world consequences of your position than what you explored with Justice Kavanaugh. My understanding was that independent agencies exist because Congress has decided that some issues, some matters, some areas should be handled in this way by nonpartisan experts—that Congress is saying that expertise matters with respect to aspects of the economy and transportation and the various independent agencies that we have. "So having a president come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don't know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States."

Reposted by Michael Barnett

gabyaboulafia.bsky.social
Gaby Aboulafia @gabyaboulafia.bsky.social · Dec 8
Medicaid “spend down” — how we force individuals to impoverish themselves to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care — is one of the most messed up things I’ve learned about the US health care system

In a new paper, we look at how often spend-down happens in nursing homes specifically
Asset Spend-Down and Medicaid Enrollment in Nursing Homes
This cohort study examines the rate of Medicaid spend-down among nursing home residents enrolled in traditional Medicare and assesses what factors are associated with Medicaid spend-down among these r...
tinyurl.com

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Dec 6
news story of the year 2025

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Will Lowe, Barrett , and 1 more

bharrap.bsky.social
Ben Harrap @bharrap.bsky.social · Dec 6
%notin% coming soon to an #rstats environment near you 🤩

developer.r-project.org/blosxom.cgi/...
Daily News: R-devel/NEWS
developer.r-project.org

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Dec 2
yeah, trying not to defend this strategy but it seems directionally better than mega gifts to rich institutions. it's head scratching that it seems like an anti-poverty gift but will include so many households where $250 is a drop in the bucket. why bother?

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Dec 2
i don't know the answer to this question, but being a devils advocate - what is a worse way to donate this sum of money: $250 for 25 million not-wealthy children or a huge gift to a couple of universities (the common alternative)?

Reposted by Michael Barnett

seema.bsky.social
Seema Jayachandran @seema.bsky.social · Dec 2
GivePoorly
Michael and Susan Dell to Put $250 in 25 Million Children’s Accounts
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Will Jennings, A. E. Dessler , and 12 more

lukesteuber.com
Luke Steuber @lukesteuber.com · Dec 1
presented without comment
Offit told me that Kennedy is a "liar" and a "terrible human being." I asked him to explain. "It doesn't matter what I say," Offit said. "He thinks the medical journals are in the pocket of the industry, he thinks that the government is in the pocket of the industry, he thinks I'm in the pocket of industry, and he's wrong." Offit continued: "If he has data showing he's right, then fucking publish it. He can't, because he doesn't have those data." I asked Offit if he saw a way to reverse the public's rising distrust in science. "I don't think there is any way to regain that trust other than have the viruses do the education, and the bacteria do the education, and then people will realize they paid way too high a cost," he said.

Reposted by Michael Barnett

emergencybod.medsky.social
Dr Farbod @emergencybod.medsky.social · Nov 28
This might be the most incredible road safety video you'll ever see.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Philip N. Cohen, Devon Greyson , and 1 more

kentuckylantern.com
Kentucky Lantern @kentuckylantern.com · Nov 25
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough.

Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.

kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern
A third unvaccinated infant in Kentucky has died of pertussis as public health officials urge Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the disease.
kentuckylantern.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Michael Barnett, Miles Corak , and 6 more

bhighsmith.bsky.social
Brian Highsmith @bhighsmith.bsky.social · Nov 24
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]