Mike Levere
@michaellevere.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Economics at Colgate University. Avid cyclist. Studying disability policy and health/labor/public economics.
Now do the people who get sick
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Now do the people who get sick
Reposted by Mike Levere
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
Reposted by Mike Levere
Alarming news this morning that Social Security head Frank Bisignano has been named “CEO” of IRS, a move that raises 3 major concerns:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Bessent Picks Social Security Chief Frank Bisignano as IRS CEO
The Social Security head will do double duty at the tax agency while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent retains his formal title as acting IRS commissioner.
www.wsj.com
October 6, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Alarming news this morning that Social Security head Frank Bisignano has been named “CEO” of IRS, a move that raises 3 major concerns:
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Mike Levere
The FTC is hiring Statisticians in the Bureau of Economics!
This is a great opportunity for seniors or recent grads interested in antitrust and consumer protection economics, and applied microeconomics research.
Come work with me! Happy to answer any questions.
www.usajobs.gov/job/845835200
This is a great opportunity for seniors or recent grads interested in antitrust and consumer protection economics, and applied microeconomics research.
Come work with me! Happy to answer any questions.
www.usajobs.gov/job/845835200
STATISTICIAN
The Bureau of Economics seeks candidates for the position of Statistician. Statisticians work directly with BE staff economists to (1) provide economic analysis in support of antitrust and consumer pr...
www.usajobs.gov
September 12, 2025 at 11:09 PM
The FTC is hiring Statisticians in the Bureau of Economics!
This is a great opportunity for seniors or recent grads interested in antitrust and consumer protection economics, and applied microeconomics research.
Come work with me! Happy to answer any questions.
www.usajobs.gov/job/845835200
This is a great opportunity for seniors or recent grads interested in antitrust and consumer protection economics, and applied microeconomics research.
Come work with me! Happy to answer any questions.
www.usajobs.gov/job/845835200
Reposted by Mike Levere
What’s so surprising about this imo is that the change in attitude is strong across all groups - young, old, liberal, conservative, college grads, non-college grads. Just a monumental shift in attitudes.
September 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
What’s so surprising about this imo is that the change in attitude is strong across all groups - young, old, liberal, conservative, college grads, non-college grads. Just a monumental shift in attitudes.
Fed independence is critical to a functioning economy! I was proud to sign this letter- please consider and do so TODAY too
I signed an open letter from economists supporting Fed independence & Governor Lisa Cook
Letter: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Add your name by Monday: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Letter: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Add your name by Monday: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Open letter
Click here to add your signature. An Open Letter from Economists in Support of Governor Lisa Cook and Federal Reserve Independence To the President, Members of Congress, and the American public: We wr...
docs.google.com
September 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Fed independence is critical to a functioning economy! I was proud to sign this letter- please consider and do so TODAY too
Reposted by Mike Levere
▶️ Yesterday's webinar recording and slides on "Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives" now posted! Thanks to our presenters Debra Brucker w/ UNH, @michaellevere.bsky.social w/ Colgate, and Ramonia Rochester w/ NDI.
www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
August 28, 2025 at 8:55 PM
▶️ Yesterday's webinar recording and slides on "Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives" now posted! Thanks to our presenters Debra Brucker w/ UNH, @michaellevere.bsky.social w/ Colgate, and Ramonia Rochester w/ NDI.
www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
Still time to sign up for this webinar this afternoon from 2-3 ET. What better way to spend your Wednesday afternoon than learning about administrative burden in disability benefits programs?? Looking forward to the conversation! www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives
Research | Training | Policy | Practice
www.irp.wisc.edu
August 27, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Still time to sign up for this webinar this afternoon from 2-3 ET. What better way to spend your Wednesday afternoon than learning about administrative burden in disability benefits programs?? Looking forward to the conversation! www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
Reposted by Mike Levere
August 14, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Excited to be speaking at this webinar on 8/27- sign up! Should be a great discussion.
Register now for this excellent upcoming webinar "Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives" with Debra Brucker from UNH, @michaellevere.bsky.social from Colgate, and Ramonia Rochester with NDI. Register here: www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/nav...
August 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Excited to be speaking at this webinar on 8/27- sign up! Should be a great discussion.
Really enjoyed presenting at NBER SI last week about my working paper analyzing PROMISE, a large RCT trying to improve economic outcomes for disadvantaged youth with disabilities. See video here: www.youtube.com/live/tzaNRDq...
Children and Families, NBER Summer Institute
YouTube video by NBER
www.youtube.com
July 28, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Really enjoyed presenting at NBER SI last week about my working paper analyzing PROMISE, a large RCT trying to improve economic outcomes for disadvantaged youth with disabilities. See video here: www.youtube.com/live/tzaNRDq...
Reposted by Mike Levere
After 22 years, NBER shuts its Retirement and Disability Research Center. It was funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a cooperative agreement with the NBER with the goal of providing research and analysis that could inform Social Security policy. www.nber.org/brd/20251/nb...
NBER Retirement and Disability Research Center Winds Down Operations
www.nber.org
July 25, 2025 at 4:33 PM
After 22 years, NBER shuts its Retirement and Disability Research Center. It was funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a cooperative agreement with the NBER with the goal of providing research and analysis that could inform Social Security policy. www.nber.org/brd/20251/nb...
Reposted by Mike Levere
Yesterday the Social Security Administration sent a highly misleading & political press release about the tax bill to my work account, where I'd signed up for SSA updates.
Then overnight I got it again, this time to my personal account. And I heard from lots of others who did, too. 🧵
Then overnight I got it again, this time to my personal account. And I heard from lots of others who did, too. 🧵
July 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Yesterday the Social Security Administration sent a highly misleading & political press release about the tax bill to my work account, where I'd signed up for SSA updates.
Then overnight I got it again, this time to my personal account. And I heard from lots of others who did, too. 🧵
Then overnight I got it again, this time to my personal account. And I heard from lots of others who did, too. 🧵
Reposted by Mike Levere
Pssst . . . it costs about the same amount to shore up Social Security's finances as it does to make the Trump tax cuts permanent.
But Congressional Republicans are on the verge of shoveling trillions at the wealthiest, while leaving a shortfall in the program we ALL need and love.
But Congressional Republicans are on the verge of shoveling trillions at the wealthiest, while leaving a shortfall in the program we ALL need and love.
June 30, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Pssst . . . it costs about the same amount to shore up Social Security's finances as it does to make the Trump tax cuts permanent.
But Congressional Republicans are on the verge of shoveling trillions at the wealthiest, while leaving a shortfall in the program we ALL need and love.
But Congressional Republicans are on the verge of shoveling trillions at the wealthiest, while leaving a shortfall in the program we ALL need and love.
Reposted by Mike Levere
They could have used this gimmick to extend the enhanced tax credits at "no cost" and prevent 4.2 million people from losing coverage.
This would be no more (or less) gimmicky than using it to extend tax breaks for the wealthy.
This would be no more (or less) gimmicky than using it to extend tax breaks for the wealthy.
Senate just adopted a current policy baseline. This means they’re treating most of their tax cuts, which were slated to end this year, as “free” because people got used to having them before
Congrats, every time you renew your Netflix or buy another Starbucks coffee or lease a new car, it’s now free
Congrats, every time you renew your Netflix or buy another Starbucks coffee or lease a new car, it’s now free
June 30, 2025 at 2:42 PM
They could have used this gimmick to extend the enhanced tax credits at "no cost" and prevent 4.2 million people from losing coverage.
This would be no more (or less) gimmicky than using it to extend tax breaks for the wealthy.
This would be no more (or less) gimmicky than using it to extend tax breaks for the wealthy.
Reposted by Mike Levere
Female academics are much more affected by the birth of a child than are male academics.
Academic mothers are much more likely to...
◾temporarily leave the labor force
◾and, if they return, shift away from tenure-track positions.
scholar.harvard.edu/files/sdchen...
Academic mothers are much more likely to...
◾temporarily leave the labor force
◾and, if they return, shift away from tenure-track positions.
scholar.harvard.edu/files/sdchen...
June 16, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Female academics are much more affected by the birth of a child than are male academics.
Academic mothers are much more likely to...
◾temporarily leave the labor force
◾and, if they return, shift away from tenure-track positions.
scholar.harvard.edu/files/sdchen...
Academic mothers are much more likely to...
◾temporarily leave the labor force
◾and, if they return, shift away from tenure-track positions.
scholar.harvard.edu/files/sdchen...
It is essential to know that the $1 BILLION of savings noted here is less than 0.1% of the total amount spent on annually Social Security -- why is the benchmark the operating budget? Can't help but think of Dr. Evil here...
June 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
It is essential to know that the $1 BILLION of savings noted here is less than 0.1% of the total amount spent on annually Social Security -- why is the benchmark the operating budget? Can't help but think of Dr. Evil here...
Reposted by Mike Levere
OBBB's tax provisions are more regressive than the Bush tax cut deal. The latter had refundable tax credit expansions helping the bottom OBBB lacks and didn't include the top rate cut/pass-through deduction.
And the Bush tax cut deal didn't cut SNAP/Medicaid at the same time.
And the Bush tax cut deal didn't cut SNAP/Medicaid at the same time.
June 11, 2025 at 5:26 PM
OBBB's tax provisions are more regressive than the Bush tax cut deal. The latter had refundable tax credit expansions helping the bottom OBBB lacks and didn't include the top rate cut/pass-through deduction.
And the Bush tax cut deal didn't cut SNAP/Medicaid at the same time.
And the Bush tax cut deal didn't cut SNAP/Medicaid at the same time.
Reposted by Mike Levere
Once again, I find myself thinking of the press release announcing that the Social Security Administration was unilaterally cancelling funding for all Retirement and Disability Research Consortia.
It called the centers “wasteful initiatives.” All of them had a combined cost of about $15 million.
It called the centers “wasteful initiatives.” All of them had a combined cost of about $15 million.
BREAKING: The Pentagon said the deployment of National Guard members and Marines to protests over immigration raids in LA will cost $134 million.
Hegseth faces sharp questions from Congress on deploying troops to Los Angles and Pentagon chaos
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been quickly met with sharp questions and criticism by lawmakers who pressed him about his early moves to fire key military leaders and and purge diversity programs.
bit.ly
June 10, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Once again, I find myself thinking of the press release announcing that the Social Security Administration was unilaterally cancelling funding for all Retirement and Disability Research Consortia.
It called the centers “wasteful initiatives.” All of them had a combined cost of about $15 million.
It called the centers “wasteful initiatives.” All of them had a combined cost of about $15 million.
Reposted by Mike Levere
There's a lot to unpack here. But the "why do people in the developed world die from chronic diseases at higher rates than in poorer countries" is because we survive long enough to die from chronic rather than infectious disease. This is epidemiology 101. It's not a mystery.
I'm sure this is all a waste of our time.... But any medical experts out there want to watch Stephen Miller talk about MAHA and explain if there's any science here besides eugenics?
June 10, 2025 at 10:22 AM
There's a lot to unpack here. But the "why do people in the developed world die from chronic diseases at higher rates than in poorer countries" is because we survive long enough to die from chronic rather than infectious disease. This is epidemiology 101. It's not a mystery.
Reposted by Mike Levere
This is why we need *public* research funding--the public has a right to know what the best evidence is on these complex topics.
Incredible:
0% of studies funded by the meat industry have found a link between red meat and cardiovascular ill-health.
73% of studies *not* funded by the meat industry have found a link.
www.thetimes.com/uk/science/a...
0% of studies funded by the meat industry have found a link between red meat and cardiovascular ill-health.
73% of studies *not* funded by the meat industry have found a link.
www.thetimes.com/uk/science/a...
Is red meat bad for your heart? Studies leave plenty to chew over
Scientists analyse industry-sponsored research on red meat and heart health
www.thetimes.com
June 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This is why we need *public* research funding--the public has a right to know what the best evidence is on these complex topics.
The incredible value of the excellent research showing that health insurance saves lives!
Highlighting for Joni Ernst:
"If you take Sarah Miller’s research on what the Medicaid expansions did, she found that for every 529 people covered, a life was saved. That means that kicking 13.7 million people off of health insurance would lead to 23,000 more deaths a year in America."
"If you take Sarah Miller’s research on what the Medicaid expansions did, she found that for every 529 people covered, a life was saved. That means that kicking 13.7 million people off of health insurance would lead to 23,000 more deaths a year in America."
Just got around to this interview with Jon Gruber, which is a useful overview of the House bill — and its potential consequences — ahead of the Senate reconvening this week tradeoffs.org/2025/05/22/w...
June 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
The incredible value of the excellent research showing that health insurance saves lives!
Reposted by Mike Levere
New from @chloeneast.bsky.social at Can We Still Govern:
AEI cited her work to make the case for SNAP work requirements. Chloe explains that her and other research show that work requirements reduce SNAP access while doing nothing for employment outcomes.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-aei-g...
AEI cited her work to make the case for SNAP work requirements. Chloe explains that her and other research show that work requirements reduce SNAP access while doing nothing for employment outcomes.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-aei-g...
What AEI Gets Wrong about SNAP Work Requirements
They cited my research, so let me respond!
donmoynihan.substack.com
May 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM
New from @chloeneast.bsky.social at Can We Still Govern:
AEI cited her work to make the case for SNAP work requirements. Chloe explains that her and other research show that work requirements reduce SNAP access while doing nothing for employment outcomes.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-aei-g...
AEI cited her work to make the case for SNAP work requirements. Chloe explains that her and other research show that work requirements reduce SNAP access while doing nothing for employment outcomes.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-aei-g...
Reposted by Mike Levere
New research from me&@agpines.bsky.social
Congress is pushing work requirements for Medicaid&SNAP. You’ve heard these kick eligible folks off (@pamherd.bsky.social @donmoyn.bsky.social), don't increase work&cause hunger (@laurenhlb.bsky.social @chloeneast.bsky.social). But wait there's more! 1/n
Congress is pushing work requirements for Medicaid&SNAP. You’ve heard these kick eligible folks off (@pamherd.bsky.social @donmoyn.bsky.social), don't increase work&cause hunger (@laurenhlb.bsky.social @chloeneast.bsky.social). But wait there's more! 1/n
May 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
New research from me&@agpines.bsky.social
Congress is pushing work requirements for Medicaid&SNAP. You’ve heard these kick eligible folks off (@pamherd.bsky.social @donmoyn.bsky.social), don't increase work&cause hunger (@laurenhlb.bsky.social @chloeneast.bsky.social). But wait there's more! 1/n
Congress is pushing work requirements for Medicaid&SNAP. You’ve heard these kick eligible folks off (@pamherd.bsky.social @donmoyn.bsky.social), don't increase work&cause hunger (@laurenhlb.bsky.social @chloeneast.bsky.social). But wait there's more! 1/n
Reposted by Mike Levere
This is especially important: “We call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students, including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes.”
“Nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory” — statement from Harvard’s @aaup.bsky.social chapter on the termination of Harvard’s SEVP certification.
May 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
This is especially important: “We call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students, including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes.”