Research Professor, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, Research Professor, Gerald R Ford School of Public Policy, Research Professor, Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health and Research Professor, Mary H Weiser Food Allergy, Medical School

Biography
Dr. Levy’s research interests include the causes and consequences of lacking health insurance, evaluation of public health insurance programs,and the role of health literacy in explaining disparities in health outcomes. She is an associate director on the Health and Retirement Study, a long-running longitudinal study of health and economic dynamics at older ages. She is a past recipient of a Career Development Award (K01) from the National Institute on Aging to study health literacy and health disparities among the elderly.
Projects
Funded Research
- Health and Retirement Study: Yrs 29-34
- Medicaid Expansion as Unemployment Safety Net
- Medicaid versus Private Coverage for Low-Income Families: What are the Tradeoffs between Cost-Sharing and Access to Care
- Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging
- Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging
- The RAND HRS Data System: Expanding and Complementing the RAND HRS Longitudinal File
- Understanding Food Related Hardship Among Older Americans
Publications
- Tiffany Yung-Shin Hu, Iman Ali, Michele Heisler, Helen G Levy, Angela Fagerlin, Jeffrey T Kullgren. 2023. Helping Patients With Chronic Conditions Overcome Challenges of High-Deductible Health Plans: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Formative Research 7:e37596.
- Hirth, Richard A., Levinson, Zachary M., Blattner, Neha Buch, Dalton, Vanessa K., Kelley, Angela S., Lanham, Michael, Manning, Marsha, Norton, Edward C., Helen G Levy, Dupree, James M.. 2023. Developing an Adjunct Services Approach to Identify the Use of Procedures Not Covered by Health Insurance: The Case of In Vitro Fertilization. Medical Care 61(4):222-225.
- Helen G Levy. 2022. The long-run prevalence of food insufficiency among older Americans. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Robert G. Valletta. 2021. Medicaid Expansion and the Unemployed. Journal of Labor Economics 39(S2):S575-S617.
- Tipirneni, Renuka, Helen G Levy, Kenneth M Langa, Ryan Jay McCammon, Kara Zivin, Luster, Jamie, Karmakar, Monita, Ayanian, John Z. 2021. Changes in Health Care Access and Utilization for Low-SES Adults Aged 51-64 Years After Medicaid Expansion. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B 76(6):1218-1230.
- Helen G Levy, Tom Buchmueller, Ayanian, John Z, Grimes, Donald R, Ehrlich, Gabriel . 2020. Macroeconomic Feedback Effects of Medicaid Expansion: Evidence from Michigan. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 45(1):5-48.
- Renuka Tipirneni, Helen G Levy, Kenneth M Langa, Ryan Jay McCammon, Kara Zivin, Jamie Luster, Monita Karmakar, John Z. Ayanian. 2020. Changes in Health Care Access and Utilization for Low-SES Adults Age 51-64 after Medicaid Expansion. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B 76(6):1218-1230.
- Sherry Glied, Helen G Levy. 2020. The Potential Effects of Coronavirus on National Health Expenditures. JAMA 323(20):2001-2002.
- Helen G Levy, Andrew Ying, Nicholas Bagley. 2020. Whatâs Left of the Affordable Care Act? A Progress Report. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 6(2):42-66.
- Jeffrey T. Kullgren, Elizabeth Q. Cliff, Christopher Krenz, Brady Thomas West, Helen G Levy, Mark Fendrick, Angela Fagerlin. 2020. Use of Health Savings Accounts Among US Adults Enrolled in High-Deductible Health Plans. JAMA Network Open 3(7):e2011014-e2011014.
- Thomas C. Buchmueller, Betsy Q. Cliff, Helen G Levy. 2020. The Benefits of Medicaid Expansion. JAMA Health Forum 1(7):e200879-e200879.
- Thomas C. Buchmueller, Helen G Levy. 2020. The ACAâs Impact On Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Health Insurance Coverage And Access To Care. Health Affairs 39(3):395-402.
- Sherry Glied, Helen G Levy. 2020. The Potential Effects of Coronavirus on National Health Expenditures. JAMA 323(20):2001-2002.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy. 2020. The ACA's Impact On Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Health Insurance Coverage And Access To Care. Health Affairs 39(3):395-402.
- Helen G Levy, Kelley, A Taylor, Tipirneni, Renuka . 2019. Changes in Veterans' Coverage and Access to Care Following the Affordable Care Act, 2011-2017. American Journal of Public Health 109(9):1233-1235.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Rhodes, Jordan H, Nikpay, Sayeh S. 2019. Heterogeneous Effects of the ACA Medicaid Expansion on Hospital Financial Outcomes. Contemporary Economic Policy 38(1):81-93.
- Helen G Levy, Brady Thomas West, Fagerlin, Angela Tsai, Kullgren, Jeffrey T, Cliff, Betsy Q, Krenz, Chris D, Fendrick, A Mark, So, Jonathan . 2019. A Survey Of Americans With High-Deductible Health Plans Identifies Opportunities To Enhance Consumer Behaviors. Health Affairs 38(3):416-424.
- Hwajung Choi, Helen G Levy, McKee, Michael M, Wilson, Shelby , DeJonckheere, Melissa J, Zazove, Philip . 2019. Determinants of Hearing Aid Use Among Older Americans With Hearing Loss. The Gerontologist
- Helen G Levy, Kenneth M Langa, Hirth, Richard A, Acharya, Yubraj . 2019. Does Home Equity Affect Decisions on Long-Term Care Insurance Purchases? Evidence From the United States. Research on Aging :0164027519830078.
- Brady Thomas West, Helen G Levy, Fagerlin, Angela Tsai, Cliff, Betsy Q, Krenz, Christopher , Fendrick, A Mark, Winkelman, Tyler N. A., So, Jonathan , Kullgren, Jeffrey T. 2019. Attitudes About Consumer Strategies Among Americans in High-deductible Health Plans. Medical Care 57(3):187-193.
- Helen G Levy, Tom Buchmueller, Nikpay, Sayeh . 2019. The Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Household Consumption. Eastern Economic Journal 45(26-33):34-57.
- James M. Dupree, Zachary Levinson, Angela S. Kelley, Marsha Manning, Vanessa K. Dalton, Helen G Levy, Richard A. Hirth. 2019. Provision of Insurance Coverage for IVF by a Large Employer and Changes in IVF Rates Among Health Plan Enrollees. JAMA 322(19):1920-1921.
- A. Taylor Kelley, Renuka Tipirneni, Helen G Levy. 2019. Changes in Veteransâ Coverage and Access to Care Following the Affordable Care Act, 2011â2017. American Journal of Public Health 109(9):1233-1235.
- Helen G Levy, Luke Shaefer, Fusaro, Vincent A. 2018. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Lifetime Prevalence of Homelessness in the United States. Demography 55(6):2119-2128.
- Brady Thomas West, Helen G Levy, Fagerlin, Angela Tsai, Kullgren, Jeffrey T, Cliff, Elizabeth Q, Krenz, Christopher , Fendrick, Mark . 2018. Consumer behaviors among individuals enrolled in high-deductible health plans in the united states. JAMA Internal Medicine 178(3):424-426.
- Helen G Levy, Norton, Edward. 2018. Tobacco Regulation and Cost-Benefit Analysis: How Should We Value Foregone Consumer Surplus?. American Journal of Health Economics 4(1):1-25.
- Helen G Levy, Tom Buchmueller, Nikpay, Sayeh . 2018. Health Reform and Retirement. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 73(4):713-722. PMCID: PMC6019028.
- Michael M. McKee, Hwajung Choi, Shelby Wilson, Melissa J. DeJonckheere, Philip Zazove, Helen G Levy. 2018. Determinants of Hearing Aid Use Among Older Americans With Hearing Loss. The Gerontologist
- Helen G Levy, Ayanian, John Z, Ehrlich, Gabriel M, Grimes, Donald R. 2017. Economic Effects of Medicaid Expansion in Michigan. New England Journal of Medicine 376:407-410.
- Helen G Levy, Davis, A M, Zheng, Kai , Liu, Yang . 2017. Public Response to Obamacare on Twitter. Journal of Medical Internet Research 19(5):e167.
- Helen G Levy, Nikpay, Sayeh , Freedman, Seth , Buchmueller, Tom . 2017. Effect of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion on Emergency Department Visits: Evidence From State-Level Emergency Department Databases. Annals of Emergency Medicine 70(2):215-225.e6.
- Helen G Levy, Swenson, Carolyn Weaver, Kamdar, Neil S, Campbell Jr., Darrell A, Morgan, Daniel M. 2017. Insurance Type and Major Complications After Hysterectomy. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery 23(1):39-43.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy. 2017. Health Reform in the Age of Trump. Economics and Policy in the Age of Trump :23-33.
- Amanda J Sonnega, Kristen Robinson, Helen G Levy. 2017. Home and Community-Based Service and Other Senior Service Use: Prevalence and Characteristics in a National Sample. Home health care services quarterly 36(1):16-28.
- Helen G Levy, Mahmoudi, Elham, Tarraf, Wassim , Maroukis, Brianna L. 2016. Does Medicare Managed Care Reduce Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Preventive Care and Healthcare Expenditures?. American Journal of Managed Care 22(10):e360-e367.
- Helen G Levy, Janke, Alex . 2016. Health Literacy and Access to Care. Journal of health communication 21(Suppl 1):43-50.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Levinson, Zachary M, Wolfe, Barbara L. 2016. Effect of the Affordable Care Act on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage. Am J Public Health 106(8):1416-1421.
- Sayeh Nikpay, Thomas Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Simone R. Singh. 2016. The Relationship Between Uncompensated Care and Hospital Financial Position: Implications of the ACA Medicaid Expansion for Hospital Operating Margins. Journal of Health Care Finance 43(2):73-89.
- Helen G Levy, Mahmoudi, Elham. 2016. How Did Medicare Part D Affect Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Drug Coverage?. The journals of gerontology.Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 71(3):581-589.
- Helen G Levy, Hirth, Richard A, Calónico, Sebastian , Gibson, Teresa B, Das, Anup . 2016. Long-Term Health Spending Persistence among the Privately Insured in the US. Fiscal Studies 37(3-4):749-783.
- Amanda J Sonnega, Helen G Levy, Robinson, Kristen . 2016. Home and Community-Based Service and Other Senior Service Use: Prevalence and Characteristics in a National Sample. Home health care services quarterly :16-28.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Nikpay, Sayeh . 2016. Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion Reduced Uninsured Hospital Stays In 2014. Health affairs 35(1):106-110.
- Helen G Levy, Baicker, K . 2015. Cost sharing as a tool to drive higher-value care. JAMA internal medicine 175(3):399-400.
- Helen G Levy, Baicker, K . 2015. How narrow a network is too narrow?. JAMA internal medicine 175(3):337-338.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Nikpay, S . 2015. Early Medicaid Expansion In Connecticut Stemmed The Growth In Hospital Uncompensated Care. Health affairs 34(7):1170-1179.
- Helen G Levy, Kenneth M Langa, Janke, A T. 2015. Health literacy and the digital divide among older Americans. Journal of general internal medicine 30(3):284-289.
- Helen G Levy, Hirth, Richard A, Gibson, Teresa B, Calónico, Sebastian , Das, Anup . 2015. New Evidence on the Persistence of Health Spending. Medical Care Research and Review 72(3):277-297.
- Helen G Levy, Leininger, Lindsey . 2015. Child Health and Access to Medical Care. Future of Children 25(1):65-90.
- Helen G Levy. 2015. Income, Poverty, and Material Hardship Among Older Americans. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences 1(1):55-77.
- Helen G Levy. 2015. Assessing the need for a new household panel study: Health insurance and health care. Journal of economic and social measurement 40(1-4):341-356.
- Helen G Levy, Bagley, Nicholas . 2014. Essential Health Benefits and the Affordable Care Act: Law and Process. Journal of health politics, policy and law 39(2):441-465.
- Katherine Baicker, Helen G Levy. 2014. Coordination versus Competition in Health Care Reform. N Engl J Med 369(9):789-791.
- Helen G Levy, Baicker, Katherine . 2013. Coordination versus Competition in Health Care Reform. N Engl J Med 369(9):789-791.
- Helen G Levy, David R Weir, Fagerlin, Angela Tsai, Uber, Peter A, Dillard, A J. 2013. Health Numeracy: The Importance of Domain in Assessing Numeracy. Medical decision making 34(1):107-115.
- Tom Buchmueller, Helen G Levy, Carey, Colleen . 2013. Will Employers Drop Health Insurance Coverage Because Of The Affordable Care Act?. Health affairs 32(9):1522-1530.
- Katherine Baicker, Helen G Levy. 2013. The Insurance Value of Medicare. New England Journal of Medicine 367(19):1773-1775.
- Helen G Levy, Baicker, Katherine . 2012. The Insurance Value of Medicare. New England Journal of Medicine 367(19):1773-1775.
- Marianne Udow-Phillips, Joshua Fangmeier, Thomas Buchmueller, Helen G Levy. 2012. The ACAâs Medicaid Expansion: Michigan Impact State Budgetary Estimates and Other Impacts.
- Helen G Levy. 2012. Health reform: Learning from Massachusetts. Inquiry 49(4):300-302.
- Helen G Levy, David R Weir. 2010. Take-up of Medicare Part D: results from the Health and Retirement Study. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B 65(4):492-501.
- Helen G Levy, Leininger, Lindsey , Schanzenbach, Diane . 2010. Consequences of SCHIP expansions for household well-being. Forum for Health Economics & Policy 13
- Helen G Levy, Gruber, J . 2009. The Evolution of Medical Spending Risk. The Journal of Economic Perspectives 23(4):25-48.
- Helen G Levy, McLaughlin, C , Quinn, B . 2009. Aspects of Health Reform: Introduction. Inquiry - Excellus Health Plan 46(2):182-186.
- Karin V. Rhodes, Teri L. Vieth, Hallie Kushner, Helen G Levy, Brent R. Asplin. 2009. Referral Without Access: For Psychiatric Services, Wait for the Beep.. 54
- Helen G Levy, Rhodes, Karin V, Vieth, Teri L, Kushner, Hallie , Asplin, Brent R. 2009. Referral Without Access: For Psychiatric Services, Wait for the Beep. Annals of Emergency Medicine 54(2):272-278.
- Helen G Levy, Meltzer, David . 2008. The Impact of Health Insurance on Health. Annual Review of Public Health 29:399-409.
- Helen G Levy, Thomas DeLeire. 2008. What do people buy when they donât buy health insurance and what does that say about why they are uninsured?. Inquiry 45(4):365-379.
- Helen G Levy, DeLeire, Thomas . 2008. What do people buy when they don't buy health insurance and what does that say about why they are uninsured?. Inquiry 45(4):365-379.
- Helen G Levy, Baicker, Katherine . 2008. Employer Health Insurance Mandates and the Risk of Unemployment. Risk Management & Insurance Review 11(1):109-132.
- Helen G Levy. 2008. How is Health Insurance Affected by the Economy? Public and Private Coverage Among Low-Skilled Adults in the 1990s. Working and poor: how economic and policy changes are affecting low-wage workers
- Helen G Levy. 2007. Health Insurance Patterns Nearing Retirement. Redefining Retirement: How Will Boomers Fare?
- Helen G Levy. 2007. Health insurance and the transition to adulthood. The price of independence : the economics of early adulthood :84.
- Helen G Levy. 2007. Health insurance coverage of the Baby Boomers approaching retirement. Redefining retirement : how will boomers fare? :159.
- Helen G Levy. 2007. Health, education and welfare.(Book Reviews). Journal of Economic Literature 45(3):760(2).
- Helen G Levy, DeLeire, Thomas , Levine, J A. 2006. Is welfare reform responsible for low-skilled women's declining health insurance coverage in the 1990s?. Journal of Human Resources 41(3):495-528.
- Helen G Levy, Meltzer, David . 2006. The effect of health insurance on health: How good is our evidence?. Global Forum Update on Research for Health 3:137-141.
- Thomas DeLeire, J. A. Levine, Helen G Levy. 2006. Is welfare reform responsible for low-skilled womenâs declining health insurance coverage in the 1990s?. Journal of Human Resources 41(3):495-528.
- Helen G Levy. 2006. How is health insurance affected by the economy? Public and private coverage among low-skilled adults in the 1990s. Working and poor : how economic and policy changes are affecting low-wage workers :396-425.
- Helen G Levy, Asplin, Brent R, Rhodes, Karin V, Lurie, Nicole , Crain, A Lauren, Carlin, Bradley P, Kellermann, Arthur L. 2005. Insurance Status and Access to Urgent Ambulatory Care Follow-up Appointments. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 294(10):1248-1254.
- Helen G Levy, Meltzer, David . 2004. What Do We Really Know About Whether Health Insurance Affects Health?. Health Policy on the Uninsured: Setting the Agenda
- Helen G Levy, DeLeire, Thomas . 2004. Worker Sorting and the Risk of Death on the Job. Journal of Labor Economics 22(4):925-953.
- Helen G Levy, Feldman, R . 2001. Does the Incidence of Group Health Insurance Fall on Individual Workers?. International Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics 1(3/4):227-247.
- Helen G Levy, Farber, Henry S. 2000. Recent Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Are Bad Jobs Getting Worse?. Journal of Health Economics 19(1):93-119.
- Helen G Levy, Evans, W N, Simon, K I. 2000. Research Data in Health Economics. Journal of Economic Perspectives 14(4):203-216.
- Helen G Levy, Johantgen, Mary E, Coffey, Rosanna M, Harris, Robert , Clinton, J J. 1995. Treating early-stage breast cancer: hospital characteristics associated with breast-conserving surgery. The American Journal of Public Health 85:p1432(3).