Richard Hirth

Richard Hirth stands as a leading authority in health economics and policy at the University of Michigan, where he serves as the S.J. Axelrod Collegiate Professor of Health Management and Policy. After earning his PhD in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his BA from Carleton College, he joined Michigan Public Health in 1993, where he has significantly shaped healthcare policy and research. His work spans crucial areas including healthcare systems incentives, insurance design, and the economics of end-stage renal disease care, notably contributing to Medicare's kidney dialysis payment system design. His excellence in the field is evidenced by numerous prestigious recognitions, including the AcademyHealth Health Services Research Impact Award, the Kenneth J. Arrow Award in Health Economics, and multiple Excellence in Research Awards from both the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. As Associate Director of the Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center and Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Hirth continues to influence healthcare policy through his research on not-for-profit providers in healthcare markets, health insurance design, and healthcare spending. His impact extends beyond academia through direct involvement in policy implementation, including helping Medicare design its kidney dialysis payment system and evaluating Michigan's Medicaid expansion program.