Xander Koolman INT
@xanderkoolmanint.bsky.social
prof health econ @ VU Amsterdam
Mostly health care (incl mental) & drug pricing
https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/section-health-economics
Chart☝️%children who feel responsible for care parents
Mostly health care (incl mental) & drug pricing
https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/section-health-economics
Chart☝️%children who feel responsible for care parents
When health economic research is abused.
All health economist should read this.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/o...
All health economist should read this.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/o...
Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on
Defenders of Medicaid cuts point to the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment to argue that the cuts won’t harm people’s health. But they misunderstand the results, writes one of the study’s authors.
www.statnews.com
July 4, 2025 at 6:02 PM
When health economic research is abused.
All health economist should read this.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/o...
All health economist should read this.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/o...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
In addition to proposing the largest cut to Medicaid in history, the reconciliation bill quietly kneecaps the ACA marketplaces.
Not with one or two big cuts, but with a bunch of smaller tweaks that, in self-reinforcing ways, make it harder to get and stay enrollled in marketplace coverage.
Not with one or two big cuts, but with a bunch of smaller tweaks that, in self-reinforcing ways, make it harder to get and stay enrollled in marketplace coverage.
The Sleeper Provision in the Reconciliation Bill That Could Hobble the ACA Marketplaces
An obscure provision in the U.S. House reconciliation bill could have major consequences for the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces. In a guest post for CHIRblog, the Urban Institute's Jason Levitis and...
chirblog.org
May 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
In addition to proposing the largest cut to Medicaid in history, the reconciliation bill quietly kneecaps the ACA marketplaces.
Not with one or two big cuts, but with a bunch of smaller tweaks that, in self-reinforcing ways, make it harder to get and stay enrollled in marketplace coverage.
Not with one or two big cuts, but with a bunch of smaller tweaks that, in self-reinforcing ways, make it harder to get and stay enrollled in marketplace coverage.
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
Thread: Obviously I'm very pleased at this recognition, but I'm sharing this for other reasons. 1st, many have the impression that people who have been successful professionally have walked a straight path - got the right degree, right 1st job, succeeded right away.
Congratulations to Martin Gaynor, who has been honored with the Victor R… | Carnegie Mellon University - Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy | 43 comments
Congratulations to Martin Gaynor, who has been honored with the Victor R. Fuchs Award for Lifetime Contributions to the Field of Health Economics by the… | 43 comments on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com
March 31, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Thread: Obviously I'm very pleased at this recognition, but I'm sharing this for other reasons. 1st, many have the impression that people who have been successful professionally have walked a straight path - got the right degree, right 1st job, succeeded right away.
Dutch court ruled against 'abuse' of market power used to increase drug prices from €46 to more than €13.000.
The case of Leadiant and the repurposing of CDCA.
drugdevletter.com/p/excessive-...
CC: @bradfowd1.bsky.social
The case of Leadiant and the repurposing of CDCA.
drugdevletter.com/p/excessive-...
CC: @bradfowd1.bsky.social
Excessive Drug Price Leads to Hefty Fine for Company in the Netherlands
Why was a company fined €17 million for excessive pricing?
drugdevletter.com
February 20, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Dutch court ruled against 'abuse' of market power used to increase drug prices from €46 to more than €13.000.
The case of Leadiant and the repurposing of CDCA.
drugdevletter.com/p/excessive-...
CC: @bradfowd1.bsky.social
The case of Leadiant and the repurposing of CDCA.
drugdevletter.com/p/excessive-...
CC: @bradfowd1.bsky.social
Leadiant thought it could cleverly exploit market power and increased the price of a drug from €46 to nearly €14,000.
Abuse, ruled the court—and that's good news.
Compliments to the Dutch Competition Authority
www.acm.nl/nl/publicati...
Abuse, ruled the court—and that's good news.
Compliments to the Dutch Competition Authority
www.acm.nl/nl/publicati...
www.acm.nl
February 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Leadiant thought it could cleverly exploit market power and increased the price of a drug from €46 to nearly €14,000.
Abuse, ruled the court—and that's good news.
Compliments to the Dutch Competition Authority
www.acm.nl/nl/publicati...
Abuse, ruled the court—and that's good news.
Compliments to the Dutch Competition Authority
www.acm.nl/nl/publicati...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
Hint to an interesting study. In result, the study authors suggest to substantially simplify the regulation of market access of #biosimilars, potentially lowering price levels.
Biosimilars kunnen een stuk goedkoper worden om te ontwikkelingen, nu voldoende vaststaat dat fase 3 studies niet nodig zijn om de effectiviteit en veiligheid aan te tonen.
Dat kan leiden tot lagere prijzen en snellere prijsdalingen na het verloop van het patent.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Dat kan leiden tot lagere prijzen en snellere prijsdalingen na het verloop van het patent.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The devolution of biosimilars regulations - Nature Biotechnology
After two decades of experience with biosimilars, physicochemical and in vitro biological comparison with their reference products appear sufficient to guarantee clinical safety and efficacy. Hence, t...
www.nature.com
December 21, 2024 at 10:21 PM
Hint to an interesting study. In result, the study authors suggest to substantially simplify the regulation of market access of #biosimilars, potentially lowering price levels.
People living below sea level behind the dykes in the Netherlands haven’t drowned in years, so it’s clear we don’t need the dykes anymore.
December 15, 2024 at 9:24 PM
People living below sea level behind the dykes in the Netherlands haven’t drowned in years, so it’s clear we don’t need the dykes anymore.
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
I wrote a piece summarizing a few of the things Trump's pick to lead the NIH, Dr. Bhattacharya, got catastrophically wrong — especially in 2020.
I’ve criticized public authorities, including for nonsensical and excessive measures (closing parks and beaches?).
But let’s not rewrite history either.
I’ve criticized public authorities, including for nonsensical and excessive measures (closing parks and beaches?).
But let’s not rewrite history either.
November 27, 2024 at 10:45 PM
I wrote a piece summarizing a few of the things Trump's pick to lead the NIH, Dr. Bhattacharya, got catastrophically wrong — especially in 2020.
I’ve criticized public authorities, including for nonsensical and excessive measures (closing parks and beaches?).
But let’s not rewrite history either.
I’ve criticized public authorities, including for nonsensical and excessive measures (closing parks and beaches?).
But let’s not rewrite history either.
As the retirement age of physicians increases (generallly good news), quality and safety of patiënt care may be at risk.
How do we deal with this, given that many of the senior staff resist audit and feedback?
radiologybusiness.com/topics/healt...
December 1, 2024 at 9:57 AM
As the retirement age of physicians increases (generallly good news), quality and safety of patiënt care may be at risk.
How do we deal with this, given that many of the senior staff resist audit and feedback?
radiologybusiness.com/topics/healt...
While I've always thought that openscience was slightly less suitable for economics (and perhaps more called for), this position is understandable. Especially in the US.
1/ I don't think productive #openscience is achievable right now.
Careerism (i.e., taking other people down) is too strong a force without some kind of broader set of norms, generating selective, biased replications.
Growing #partisanship will make it worse.
Careerism (i.e., taking other people down) is too strong a force without some kind of broader set of norms, generating selective, biased replications.
Growing #partisanship will make it worse.
November 30, 2024 at 3:34 PM
While I've always thought that openscience was slightly less suitable for economics (and perhaps more called for), this position is understandable. Especially in the US.
Dr. Oz and Nutritional Supplements: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
YouTube video by LastWeekTonight
youtu.be
November 19, 2024 at 10:00 PM
European health agency considers quitting X over mis formation.
My university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) has already deactivated its account.
www.politico.eu/article/euro...
My university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) has already deactivated its account.
www.politico.eu/article/euro...
EU disease agency considers quitting Elon Musk’s X over disinfo
The spread of scientific misinformation on the social media platform is making the ECDC think twice, its director says.
www.politico.eu
November 19, 2024 at 8:56 PM
European health agency considers quitting X over mis formation.
My university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) has already deactivated its account.
www.politico.eu/article/euro...
My university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) has already deactivated its account.
www.politico.eu/article/euro...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
Do real stakes/incentives matter in experiments? Recent studies say they don’t. My new paper shows that these studies’ results — and those of most hypothetical bias experiments — are uninformative when we care about treatment effects. 1/19
#EconSky #PsychSky #PoliSky
🔗: papers.tinbergen.nl/24070.pdf
#EconSky #PsychSky #PoliSky
🔗: papers.tinbergen.nl/24070.pdf
November 18, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Do real stakes/incentives matter in experiments? Recent studies say they don’t. My new paper shows that these studies’ results — and those of most hypothetical bias experiments — are uninformative when we care about treatment effects. 1/19
#EconSky #PsychSky #PoliSky
🔗: papers.tinbergen.nl/24070.pdf
#EconSky #PsychSky #PoliSky
🔗: papers.tinbergen.nl/24070.pdf
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
Health Economics (Early View): New study by David Johnston et al finds that lower education is a barrier to mental health care access. University graduates are 50% more likely to seek out and receive MH resources than those with high school education or less.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Horizontal inequity in the use of mental healthcare in Australia
For people experiencing mental health problems, timely access to high-quality healthcare is imperative for improving outcomes. However, limited availability of services, high out-of-pocket costs, ins....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 14, 2024 at 2:14 PM
Health Economics (Early View): New study by David Johnston et al finds that lower education is a barrier to mental health care access. University graduates are 50% more likely to seek out and receive MH resources than those with high school education or less.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
We are proud to co-organise the @EuHEA conference 2024 together with @wu_vienna. We are looking forward to receiving your abstracts on exciting topics in #healtheconomics!
#euhea2024 #econtwitter
euhea.eu/welcome_conf...
#euhea2024 #econtwitter
euhea.eu/welcome_conf...
November 5, 2023 at 12:59 PM
We are proud to co-organise the @EuHEA conference 2024 together with @wu_vienna. We are looking forward to receiving your abstracts on exciting topics in #healtheconomics!
#euhea2024 #econtwitter
euhea.eu/welcome_conf...
#euhea2024 #econtwitter
euhea.eu/welcome_conf...
From Claudia Goldin: the negative association between household tasks and care tasks within the household and fertility.
Has anyone here (or know someone who has) studied the association between informal care and fertility?
www.youtube.com/live/RBkLI5i...
Has anyone here (or know someone who has) studied the association between informal care and fertility?
www.youtube.com/live/RBkLI5i...
December 12, 2023 at 7:05 PM
From Claudia Goldin: the negative association between household tasks and care tasks within the household and fertility.
Has anyone here (or know someone who has) studied the association between informal care and fertility?
www.youtube.com/live/RBkLI5i...
Has anyone here (or know someone who has) studied the association between informal care and fertility?
www.youtube.com/live/RBkLI5i...
Strong variations on what should have been an objective fact: the development of income inequality over time.
Super interesting from a methodological, economical and political perspective (including the politics of US-economics).
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Super interesting from a methodological, economical and political perspective (including the politics of US-economics).
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
December 4, 2023 at 7:53 PM
Strong variations on what should have been an objective fact: the development of income inequality over time.
Super interesting from a methodological, economical and political perspective (including the politics of US-economics).
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Super interesting from a methodological, economical and political perspective (including the politics of US-economics).
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Practice variation often calls for health system intervention.
While the causes of practice variation are understood, their contributions often aren't.
We propose a statistical attribution to study the contribution of referrals.
doi.org/10.1186/s129...
While the causes of practice variation are understood, their contributions often aren't.
We propose a statistical attribution to study the contribution of referrals.
doi.org/10.1186/s129...
Attributing practice variation by its sources: the case of varicose veins treatments in the Netherla...
Background Unwarranted practice variation refers to regional differences in treatments that are not driven by patients’ medical needs or preferences. Although it is the subject of numerous studies, ...
doi.org
December 4, 2023 at 7:46 AM
Practice variation often calls for health system intervention.
While the causes of practice variation are understood, their contributions often aren't.
We propose a statistical attribution to study the contribution of referrals.
doi.org/10.1186/s129...
While the causes of practice variation are understood, their contributions often aren't.
We propose a statistical attribution to study the contribution of referrals.
doi.org/10.1186/s129...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
Sixty years ago this month in the AER. Many would agree that this paper launched the field of health economics.
www.jstor.org/stable/1812044
www.jstor.org/stable/1812044
December 3, 2023 at 2:37 PM
Sixty years ago this month in the AER. Many would agree that this paper launched the field of health economics.
www.jstor.org/stable/1812044
www.jstor.org/stable/1812044
'Blue zones' are predicted by regional poverty, old-age poverty, material deprivation, low incomes, high crime rates, a remote region of birth, worse health, and fewer 90+ year old people...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
... pension fraud...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
... pension fraud...
Supercentenarian and remarkable age records exhibit patterns indicative of clerical errors and pensi...
bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution
www.biorxiv.org
November 28, 2023 at 9:01 PM
'Blue zones' are predicted by regional poverty, old-age poverty, material deprivation, low incomes, high crime rates, a remote region of birth, worse health, and fewer 90+ year old people...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
... pension fraud...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
... pension fraud...
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
“Very quickly now, industry is replacing basic science that used to be done in universities. They can move faster, they’re more agile, and they’ve got a lot more money to put into it. And so the question is, ‘Are we OK with that as a society?’”
Life scientists' flight to biotech labs stalls important academic research
The seismic shift in researchers from academic to biotech labs is already having a detrimental impact on basic research.
www.statnews.com
November 18, 2023 at 2:12 PM
“Very quickly now, industry is replacing basic science that used to be done in universities. They can move faster, they’re more agile, and they’ve got a lot more money to put into it. And so the question is, ‘Are we OK with that as a society?’”
Reposted by Xander Koolman INT
A checklist for difference-in-differences practitioners www.jonathandroth.com/assets/files... from Roth, Sant’Anna, Bilinski, & Poe
(Section 6 includes discussion of triple differences, changes-in-changes, and more.)
(Section 6 includes discussion of triple differences, changes-in-changes, and more.)
October 17, 2023 at 3:09 PM
A checklist for difference-in-differences practitioners www.jonathandroth.com/assets/files... from Roth, Sant’Anna, Bilinski, & Poe
(Section 6 includes discussion of triple differences, changes-in-changes, and more.)
(Section 6 includes discussion of triple differences, changes-in-changes, and more.)
Life expectancy in EU was 81.3y in 2019 and declined to 80.1 in 2021 (latest year available).
Women had a 5.7y advantage, but not in Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands (see graph), Denmark, and Northern Germany.
Was it emancipation that caused higher smoking rates?
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web...
Women had a 5.7y advantage, but not in Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands (see graph), Denmark, and Northern Germany.
Was it emancipation that caused higher smoking rates?
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web...
November 7, 2023 at 6:34 AM
Life expectancy in EU was 81.3y in 2019 and declined to 80.1 in 2021 (latest year available).
Women had a 5.7y advantage, but not in Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands (see graph), Denmark, and Northern Germany.
Was it emancipation that caused higher smoking rates?
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web...
Women had a 5.7y advantage, but not in Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands (see graph), Denmark, and Northern Germany.
Was it emancipation that caused higher smoking rates?
ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web...
We compared linear regression with machine learning techniques (RF and GBM) to optimize risk equalization for health insurance. Using the same set of explanatory variables we found that ML performed significantly better than traditional econometric techniques.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
Open access
doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
Open access
November 6, 2023 at 7:55 PM
We compared linear regression with machine learning techniques (RF and GBM) to optimize risk equalization for health insurance. Using the same set of explanatory variables we found that ML performed significantly better than traditional econometric techniques.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
Open access
doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
Open access