R. Tamara Konetzka, PhD, is the Louis Block Professor of Public Health Sciences in the Department of Public Health Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. She is an internationally recognized expert in the health economics of long-term and post-acute care. Her research focuses on the incentives created by health care policy, including payment policy, and their effects on quality of care. She has been the PI on numerous major federal research grants, leading to significant advances in knowledge of the drivers of nursing home quality, how public reporting of quality changes the behavior of providers and consumers, and the unintended consequences of home-based long-term and post-acute care. In May 2020 and again in March 2021, she testified before the U.S. Senate on COVID-19 and nursing homes. Konetzka is an appointed member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), serves on several editorial boards, and is Editor in Chief of Medical Care Research and Review.
University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia VA
Post-doctoral fellowship - Health Economics
2004
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD - Health Policy and Administration (Health Economics)
2003
University of Pennsylvania
AM - Economics
1992
Comparing Outcomes in Post-Acute Care: A Systematic Literature Review of IRFs vs SNFs.
Comparing Outcomes in Post-Acute Care: A Systematic Literature Review of IRFs vs SNFs. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2026 09; 27(9):106376.
PMID: 42431137
Is Medicare Home Health Care Utilization Substituting for Long-Term Care? Evidence From Dual Eligible Beneficiaries.
Is Medicare Home Health Care Utilization Substituting for Long-Term Care? Evidence From Dual Eligible Beneficiaries. Health Serv Res. 2026 Apr; 61(2):e70109.
PMID: 41919377
Regular Medicaid Home Visits and Emergency Department Use Among Older Adults During Extreme Heat.
Regular Medicaid Home Visits and Emergency Department Use Among Older Adults During Extreme Heat. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 01 02; 9(1):e2554225.
PMID: 41538180
The Evolution of Long-Term Care and Health Policy in the United States.
The Evolution of Long-Term Care and Health Policy in the United States. J Health Polit Policy Law. 2025 Dec 01; 50(6):1037-1058.
PMID: 40538318
Value-Based Purchasing and the Conundrum of Socioeconomic Risk Factors.
Value-Based Purchasing and the Conundrum of Socioeconomic Risk Factors. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2025 Oct; 73(10):2986-2987.
PMID: 40938261
Correct Usage and Limitations of Differential Distance as an Instrumental Variable.
Correct Usage and Limitations of Differential Distance as an Instrumental Variable. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Aug 01; 8(8):e2525343.
PMID: 40758357
Long-term care insurance within married couples: Can't insure one without the other?
Long-term care insurance within married couples: Can't insure one without the other? Rev Econ Househ. 2025; 23(4):1189-1220.
PMID: 41230105
Trends in Home Health Care Among Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries With or Without Dementia.
Trends in Home Health Care Among Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries With or Without Dementia. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 05 01; 8(5):e2510933.
PMID: 40377938
The Effects of Post-Acute Care Payment Reform on the Need for and Receipt of Caregiving.
The Effects of Post-Acute Care Payment Reform on the Need for and Receipt of Caregiving. Am J Health Econ. 2025; 11(2):247-273.
PMID: 40370939
Outcomes After Community Discharge From Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Role of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services.
Outcomes After Community Discharge From Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Role of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services. J Appl Gerontol. 2024 10; 43(10):1536-1543.
PMID: 38581163
Appointed Member
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
2023 - -
Invited Testimony on COVID-19 and Nursing Homes
US Senate Finance Committee
2021 - -
Invited Testimony on COVID-19 and Nursing Homes,
US Senate Special Committee on Aging
2020
Member, Committee on the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes
National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
2020 - -
Invited member, Five-Star Quality Rating System Technical Expert Panel (TEP)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
2014 - -