Eric Christensen, Ph.D., is the Director of Economic and Health Services Research for the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute (HPI). He has over 20 years of experience as a health economist. Prior to working at the Neiman HPI, he led an interdisciplinary research team at the Center for Naval Analyses conducting research for various government agencies, served as the health economist for Children’s Minnesota hospital system, taught health economics at the University of Minnesota, and engaged in private consulting.
Dr. Christensen’s recent research has focused on the financial viability of the No Surprises Act for clinicians when resolving payment disputes for out-of-network claims, Medicare reimbursement trends, economic drivers of health disparities and the role of reimbursement in disparities, the role of treatment and imaging in cost growth in stroke care, and the association of non-physician practitioners in imaging ordering and interpretation patterns. His research and consulting have covered an array of health care delivery and policy questions from the standpoints of cost of imaging, non-physician practitioners and imaging, accountable care organizations, population health, cost-effectiveness, medical homes, interventions, infrastructure, financial performance under various reimbursement models, demonstrating the value of specific clinical approaches, determining the return on investment, and demonstrating the economic impact of health systems on the local economy.
Dr. Christensen has worked extensively with internal and external stakeholders. In addition to professional conferences, he has presented research and analytic findings to senior government leaders and corporate executives. This includes testimony before U.S. Senate and U.S. House committees, the congressionally appointed Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission, and the DOD Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care.
Dr. Christensen received his PhD in economics from the University of Illinois. He has a master’s degree in economics from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree in business management (finance) from Brigham Young University.
Dr. Christensen's bibliography of peer-reviewed articles is available here.
Selected Publications
Eric W. Christensen, PhD, Gregory N. Nicola, MD, Elizabeth Y. Rula, PhD, Lauren P. Nicola, MD, Joshua A. Hirsch, MD. 2024. "Medicare Volume Growth and Shift in Payments From Physicians to Non-Physician Practitioners Under Statutory Budget Neutrality," INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
Christensen EW, Liu CM, Duszak R, Hirsch JA, Swan TL, Rula EY. "Association of State Share of Non-Physician Practitioners with Diagnostic Imaging Ordering Among Emergency Department Visits for Medicare Beneficiaries," JAMA Network Open, 2022; 5(11): e2241297.
Christensen EW, Waid M, Scott J, Patel BK, Bello JA, Rula EY. The Relationship between Race and Access to Newer Mammographic Technology in Women with Medicare Insurance. Radiology, 2023; 306(2): e221153.