Julian Reif
@julianreif.bsky.social
Associate Professor
Illinois Gies College of Business
Coeditor, American J. of Health Economics
www.julianreif.com
Illinois Gies College of Business
Coeditor, American J. of Health Economics
www.julianreif.com
On the upside, average air quality has improved for most people, at least in Illinois
julianreif.com/research/rei...
julianreif.com/research/rei...
August 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
On the upside, average air quality has improved for most people, at least in Illinois
julianreif.com/research/rei...
julianreif.com/research/rei...
Here in Champaign, the fine particulate matter level this morning is 70 ug/m3, similar to some cities in India. The EPA 24-hour standard fine particulate matter is 35. (The annual standard is 9.) Fortunately it is projected to drop throughout the day.
August 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Here in Champaign, the fine particulate matter level this morning is 70 ug/m3, similar to some cities in India. The EPA 24-hour standard fine particulate matter is 35. (The annual standard is 9.) Fortunately it is projected to drop throughout the day.
Canadian wildfires are bringing terrible air pollution into the Midwest. Yesterday, Chicago had the worst air quality of any major city in the world.
August 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Canadian wildfires are bringing terrible air pollution into the Midwest. Yesterday, Chicago had the worst air quality of any major city in the world.
New paper by Oh and Kleiner finds that universal licensing recognition for physicians---getting rid of the requirement that they get relicensed when moving states---raises access to healthcare
www.nber.org/system/files...
www.nber.org/system/files...
July 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
New paper by Oh and Kleiner finds that universal licensing recognition for physicians---getting rid of the requirement that they get relicensed when moving states---raises access to healthcare
www.nber.org/system/files...
www.nber.org/system/files...
Is the gap bigger at Time 1 or Time 2?
May 30, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Is the gap bigger at Time 1 or Time 2?
However, the average health shock raises the value of a life-year by $70,000 (21%), with a long right tail. This contradicts the standard “cost effectiveness” approach to the allocation of health care, which uses a constant value for life-years regardless of patient health.
May 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
However, the average health shock raises the value of a life-year by $70,000 (21%), with a long right tail. This contradicts the standard “cost effectiveness” approach to the allocation of health care, which uses a constant value for life-years regardless of patient health.
We apply our model to life-cycle data on adult health risks, earnings, and medical spending. We find that the average health shock has a small effect on VSL, increasing it by less than 1%.
May 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
We apply our model to life-cycle data on adult health risks, earnings, and medical spending. We find that the average health shock has a small effect on VSL, increasing it by less than 1%.
Teenage female drug overdose deaths rise by over 50% in the month after they become eligible to drive
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
April 11, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Teenage female drug overdose deaths rise by over 50% in the month after they become eligible to drive
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
We also find no effects on financial distress or alternative borrowing like payday loan use.
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
We also find no effects on financial distress or alternative borrowing like payday loan use.
Despite that drop, we find no evidence that credit access improved after medical debts were removed from reports.
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Despite that drop, we find no evidence that credit access improved after medical debts were removed from reports.
We test this using a regression discontinuity design. In April 2023, credit bureaus stopped reporting medical debts under $500. This led to a large drop in the number of medical debt collection accounts on credit reports for people below the cutoff.
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
We test this using a regression discontinuity design. In April 2023, credit bureaus stopped reporting medical debts under $500. This led to a large drop in the number of medical debt collection accounts on credit reports for people below the cutoff.
We first show that small medical debts (<$500) are one of the least informative predictors of defaults. Even large ones aren't very informative. So, removing them from credit reports likely has little effect on lending decisions.
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
We first show that small medical debts (<$500) are one of the least informative predictors of defaults. Even large ones aren't very informative. So, removing them from credit reports likely has little effect on lending decisions.
Doesn't look like this is going away yet
March 28, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Doesn't look like this is going away yet
I am presenting new research on habit formation this morning at 9:30am Central Time. Anyone is welcome to join the webinar.
#EconSky
us02web.zoom.us/j/8840408034...
#EconSky
us02web.zoom.us/j/8840408034...
March 3, 2025 at 2:47 PM
I am presenting new research on habit formation this morning at 9:30am Central Time. Anyone is welcome to join the webinar.
#EconSky
us02web.zoom.us/j/8840408034...
#EconSky
us02web.zoom.us/j/8840408034...
Bluesky is officially Jeopardy! famous
February 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Bluesky is officially Jeopardy! famous
This paper has an wonderful figure showing an (inverted) Ashenfelter's dip: a rise in the outcome prior to study eligibility
January 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
This paper has an wonderful figure showing an (inverted) Ashenfelter's dip: a rise in the outcome prior to study eligibility
Homeowner's insurance premiums have more than doubled in real terms over the last 25 years
www.construction-physics.com/p/why-is-hom...
www.construction-physics.com/p/why-is-hom...
January 24, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Homeowner's insurance premiums have more than doubled in real terms over the last 25 years
www.construction-physics.com/p/why-is-hom...
www.construction-physics.com/p/why-is-hom...
What can be done to reduce fire risk? Kevin Drum points out that California has taken a lot of steps already, including increasing the number of controlled burns
jabberwocking.com/elon-musk-is...
jabberwocking.com/elon-musk-is...
January 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
What can be done to reduce fire risk? Kevin Drum points out that California has taken a lot of steps already, including increasing the number of controlled burns
jabberwocking.com/elon-musk-is...
jabberwocking.com/elon-musk-is...
It's also convenient to print out related system info at the top of all log files
github.com/reifjulian/m...
github.com/reifjulian/m...
November 13, 2024 at 4:58 PM
It's also convenient to print out related system info at the top of all log files
github.com/reifjulian/m...
github.com/reifjulian/m...
Nice graph on DD trends from @paulgp.com in those slides
October 30, 2024 at 11:24 PM
Nice graph on DD trends from @paulgp.com in those slides
The CERN command center looks like what I imagined, except for the presence of all the champagne bottles
profmattstrassler.com/2024/10/30/t...
profmattstrassler.com/2024/10/30/t...
October 30, 2024 at 9:23 PM
The CERN command center looks like what I imagined, except for the presence of all the champagne bottles
profmattstrassler.com/2024/10/30/t...
profmattstrassler.com/2024/10/30/t...
Cumulative number of unique openings by week, 2019-2024
October 30, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Cumulative number of unique openings by week, 2019-2024
Specifying `double` is also good for ensuring unique values/sorts. Important when, e.g., one needs to randomly assign subjects from a large RCT in a reproducible manner
September 14, 2024 at 1:22 PM
Specifying `double` is also good for ensuring unique values/sorts. Important when, e.g., one needs to randomly assign subjects from a large RCT in a reproducible manner
3. June 2023 saw record-breaking pollution levels across Illinois due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
September 3, 2024 at 1:58 PM
3. June 2023 saw record-breaking pollution levels across Illinois due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.