Yuhua Bao is Professor of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, where she conducts research at the intersection of health economics, policy, and clinical care delivery. Her work focuses on aligning financial incentives with evidence-based practices for mental health and substance use conditions, with particular emphasis on payment model innovation and policy evaluation. Her academic credentials include: Ph.D., The RAND Graduate School (2003) M.A., University of Alabama (1998) B.A., Fudan University, China (1997) Dr. Bao's research centers on designing and evaluating payment models that support integrated care for substance use disorders, particularly through bundled payment systems for early psychosis interventions and methadone treatment programs. She leads NIH-funded investigations into Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), opioid policy impacts on vulnerable populations (including cancer patients and sickle cell disease sufferers), and marijuana legalization effects on pain management. Her methodology combines econometric analysis of large datasets with deep stakeholder engagement across providers, patients, and payers. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on the opioid crisis response, with emerging themes in methadone treatment flexibility post-pandemic, racial disparities in opioid distribution, and innovative applications of AI in suicide risk prediction. Her work spans health economics, health services research, and policy analysis, frequently addressing unintended consequences of regulatory changes. Dr. Bao actively mentors researchers through her leadership of the NIDA-funded CHERISH center's mentoring program and teaches 'Incentives in the U.S. Healthcare System' in Weill Cornell's Population Health Sciences Master's program. She currently directs multiple NIH/NCI-funded projects including state opioid policy evaluations for cancer pain management and data-driven reforms for Opioid Treatment Programs. Her collaborative work extends to NYU, New York State's Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), and the American Cancer Society, with recent projects examining flexible methadone take-home policies and developing payment decision-support tools for early psychosis care.
