Kurt Hager

Kurt Hager is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School. He holds a BA in Sociology from St. Olaf College, an MS in Food Policy from Tufts University, and a PhD in Public Health. His research focuses on structural determinants of health, food insecurity, and government nutrition programs. He evaluates programs like the Flexible Services Program addressing food/housing insecurity under Medicaid's Section 1115 Waiver. His work includes quasi-experimental studies, policy modeling, and economic evaluations.

Dr. Hager's policy engagement includes roles at Harvard Law School’s Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, the Aspen Institute's Food is Medicine Research Action Plan, and the Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. He currently chairs the National Produce Prescription Collaborative and serves on the American Heart Association's Food Cost Effectiveness Task Force.

His research highlights the impact of nutritional interventions on chronic diseases, with recent studies on produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals. Publications analyze Medicaid policy impacts, emergency department referrals, and legal barriers to food security programs. He collaborates with institutions like the American Heart Association and the National Produce Prescription Collaborative to translate science into evidence-based policy.