When was Amy Finkelstein born and where?
Amy Nadya Finkelstein was born on the 2nd of November 1973 in New York City. Her parents were both biologists who earned doctorates at The Rockefeller University.
Questions about Amy Finkelstein
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What university did Amy Finkelstein attend for her undergraduate degree?
She attended Harvard University where she studied government. In 1995, she graduated summa cum laude as a Truman Scholar.
How did Amy Finkelstein design the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment?
Finkelstein worked with Katherine Baicker to use a lottery system that assigned Medicaid slots to uninsured low-income adults. This method created a rigorous controlled trial using random assignment to observe cause-and-effect relationships directly.
Why is the Oregon study significant for health economics research?
The results showed significant increases in healthcare access and reduced financial burdens from catastrophic medical expenditures. These findings demonstrated that randomized designs could apply to large public insurance programs and influenced national debates on Medicaid expansion.
Which awards has Amy Finkelstein received for her work in economics?
In 2012, the American Economic Association awarded her the John Bates Clark Medal. She also won the Elaine Bennett Research Prize in 2008 and a MacArthur Fellowship in 2018.