Kosali Simon

Kosali Simon is a distinguished health economist at Indiana University, holding multiple prestigious titles including Distinguished Professor, Herman B Wells Endowed Professor, and Paul O'Neill Chair at the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She serves as Associate Vice Provost for Health Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021. Her leadership extends to editorial roles as Editor of the Journal of Health Economics and co-editor of the Journal of Human Resources.

• Ph.D. in Economics, University of Maryland, College Park (1999)
• B.A. from Hamilton College (1994)

Professor Simon's research focuses at the intersection of health economics and policy, with particular expertise in health insurance reform, labor market outcomes in healthcare, and the opioid crisis. Her work examines how state and federal regulations impact the availability of private and public health insurance for vulnerable populations. She has made significant contributions to understanding the economic dimensions of healthcare access, insurance markets, and addiction treatment policies. Her research methodology combines rigorous economic analysis with real-world policy implications, often utilizing large datasets to examine the effects of healthcare legislation and regulatory changes.

Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on healthcare disparities, substance abuse treatment accessibility, and the evolving healthcare workforce. The research shows a clear pattern of investigating how policy changes affect vulnerable populations, with particular attention to racial and ethnic disparities in treatment access. Her work spans multiple healthcare settings from emergency departments to long-term care, and addresses critical contemporary issues including the opioid epidemic, pandemic effects on healthcare, and telehealth policy evolution.

• National Academy of Medicine member (2021)
• John D. Thompson Prize for Young Investigators (2007)
• Addington Prize in Measurement (2013)
• Musgrave Prize (2012)

Professor Simon has held significant leadership positions in professional organizations, including serving on the governing body of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), and previously on the boards of the American Society of Health Economists and the American Economic Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Economics. Her national influence extends to service on the Congressional Budget Office's Panel of Health Advisers and advisory roles with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her editorial leadership across multiple top journals demonstrates her standing in the field of health economics and policy analysis.