Tanvi Rao

Senior Economist

Dr. Tanvi Rao is a Senior Economist in the Health Division at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). She is an applied microeconomist with training and experience in quantitative research, econometric analysis, program evaluation and causal inference using experimental and quasi-experimental research methods. Her areas of expertise include healthcare payment and delivery models, and Medicare and Medicaid policy.  

Previous Papers & Presentations

Zapata, D., Rao, T., Hesgrove, B., Gooptu, A., Klein, H., Yoffe, M., O’Brien M., Coombs, E., Theobald, N., Crane, E., (2021). Evaluation of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration. CMS.

Rao, T., Kiptanui, Z., Dowell, P., Triebwasser, C., Alexander, G. C., & Harris, I. (2020). Association of Formulary Exclusions and Restrictions for Opioid Alternatives with Opioid Prescribing Among Medicare Beneficiaries. JAMA Network Open, 3(3), e200274-e200274. 

Bevis, L. E., Naschold, F., & Rao, T. (2019). An unequal burden: Intra-household dimensions of seasonal health in Tanzania. Food Policy, 101766. 

Rao, T., & Pingali, P. (2018). The role of agriculture in women’s nutrition: Empirical evidence from India. PloS one, 13(8), e0201115.  

Pingali, P. & Rao, T. (2017). Understanding the multidimensional nature of the malnutrition problem in India. Agriculture and Rural Development in a Globalizing World: Challenges and Opportunities, 292.

Arndt, C., Barrett, C. B., Chonabayashi, S., Dillon, B. M., Harou, A., Lee, D. R., ... & Rao, T. (2013). Oil prices and East African food security: Understanding the links and effects on households. A Technical Report submitted to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Rao, T. (2016, June). Who Responds to Information? Experimental Evidence on Track-Specific Higher Education Decisions in India. Presentation at the United Nations University – World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) Conference on Human Capital and Growth, Helsinki, Finland.

Rao, T. (2015, December). Does Information Shape Borrowing Intentions? Experimental Evidence on Track-Specific Higher Education Decisions in India. Presentation at the Annual Conference on Economic Growth & Development. Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, India.

Rao, T. (2015, August). Understanding the multidimensional nature of the malnutrition problem in India. A Festschrift in Honor of Hans Binswanger at the International Conference for Agricultural Economics, Milan, Italy.

Rao, T. (2013, December). The Impact of a Community Health Worker on Childhood Immunization: Evidence from India's ‘ASHA’ Workers. Presentation at the Annual Conference on Economic Growth & Development. Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, India.

Tanvi Rao
Expertise
Health
Health Cost, Coverage, and Access
Substance Use Disorders
International
International Education
Services
Research & Evaluation
Research Design, Analysis, and Reporting
Survey Design, Administration, and Data Acquisition

Ph.D. and M.S., Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University; B.A., Economics, University of Delhi.

Contact Tanvi Rao

+1.202.403.5000
Related Work
Female pharmacist helping a senior customer

No Signs COVID Disrupted Hypertension Medication Adherence for Medicare Beneficiaries, but Racial and Ethnic Disparities Persisted

28 Dec 2022
Findings from this brief suggest that steps by Medicare to relax prescribing requirements during the pandemic, such as allowing early refills and larger quantities of medication, likely helped maintain medication adherence for high blood pressure and prevent racial and ethnic disparities in adherence from worsening. ...
Older male patient with doctor, both wearing masks

Steep but Short: COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Spending Drop for Medicare Beneficiaries with Chronic Conditions

26 Oct 2022
This study examined how spending for different categories of Medicare services—inpatient, hospital outpatient, and professional providers, including physicians, physician assistants, clinical social workers, and nurse practitioners—changed from the start of the pandemic through the end of 2021. 
Older patient having a telehealth call with physician

Telehealth for Medicare Beneficiaries with Chronic Conditions: No Panacea for COVID-19 Pandemic Access Challenges

29 Jul 2022
Despite rapid growth spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth visits offset less than half of the decline in in-person visits for elderly Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries five chronic conditions. Additional research is needed to assess the impact of ending telehealth flexibilities on equitable healthcare access and quality. ...
Older patient with doctor

Impact of COVID‐19 on Cost, Utilization, and Quality among Medicare Beneficiaries

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Medicare recipients. This project aims to better understand how the combination of potentially delayed care and rise in telehealth shaped the utilization, cost, and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries with ambulatory care sensitive conditions. ...
Graphic: Access to opioid use disorder treatment

Exploring Urban-Rural Disparities in Accessing Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

19 Nov 2021
Rural and urban communities alike have experienced an overdose crisis, but there are some known differences in access to treatment and general health care. AIR and IMPAQ experts analyzed data from a recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General study to further understand differences ...

Evaluation of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD)

The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration provides enhanced Medicare reimbursement for inpatient services to small rural hospitals that do not qualify as critical access hospitals. AIR is leading the evaluation of the RCHD for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.