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Christopher M. Whaley Ph.D.

Markets and Competition Lab Lead, Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy & Practice
christopher_whaley@brown.edu
Research Profile

Biography

Dr. Whaley is an Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health as of July 2023. Professor Whaley comes to Brown from the RAND Corporation, where he is a health economist and professor at the RAND Pardee Graduate School. His research focuses on health care price transparency and market structure and has been published in clinical, health policy, and economics journals and covered by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNN. He has presented on health care prices and competition to state and federal policymakers, including the California and Texas Legislatures,  the Congressional Budget Office, and the Federal Trade Commission. His study findings on hospital prices have been referenced in federal and state legislation. His research on hospital prices and health care markets has supported several Arnold Ventures, including the Employer’s Forum of Indiana, the National Alliance of Health Care Purchasers, and Texas Employers for Affordable Health Care.

Recent News

The Economist

How to lower America’s soaring health-care costs

November 20, 2025
Meaningful opportunities to reduce U.S. health-care costs already exist but are often overshadowed by the focus on more politically prominent proposals.
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Healthcare Dive

House lawmakers scrutinize nonprofit hospitals’ tax-exempt status

September 17, 2025
Republican lawmakers pressed for stricter oversight of nonprofit hospitals at a House hearing, arguing that many exploit tax exemptions while providing limited charity care. Witnesses, including Brown University’s Christopher Whaley, highlighted that current reporting structures obscure hospital-level community benefit, and urged stronger, more transparent requirements to ensure accountability.
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Modern Healthcare

Rural aid loophole: Urban hospital dual status sparks concerns

August 5, 2025
Another news article speaks on a study published in Health Affairs that reveals a sharp rise in urban hospitals reclassifying themselves as "rural" under Medicare rules, allowing them to access financial benefits intended for rural health providers. Researchers warn that this loophole could redirect billions in federal funds away from genuinely rural hospitals and urge policymakers to take corrective action.
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Fierce Healthcare

Hundreds of urban hospitals could be double-dipping into rural Medicare funds, study finds

August 4, 2025
Hundreds of large, urban hospitals have taken advantage of a 2016 policy change to classify themselves as both urban and rural, allowing them to access financial benefits meant for rural hospitals. Researchers warn that this loophole could divert billions in taxpayer funds away from actual rural communities and into already well-funded urban hospitals unless policymakers intervene.
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MedPage Today

The Danger of Trump's Deregulation Play — Healthcare without guardrails poses risks to patients and providers alike

February 22, 2025
The Trump administration's push for deregulation threatens to accelerate vertical integration in healthcare. Brown University professor, Dr. Christopher Whaley warns from existing research how this may lead to referrals to more expensive hospitals ultimately leading to higher costs, reduced competition, and financial strain on independent hospitals, particularly in rural areas as the article discusses.
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Times Union

NY hospital prices four times higher than doctor's offices, report finds

February 11, 2025
This article talks about the analysis conducted by CAHPR researchers who find that routine medical care costs four times more in New York’s outpatient hospital facilities than in doctor’s offices, largely due to added facility fees. Economist Christopher Whaley and other experts have long highlighted such pricing disparities, fueling legislative efforts like the proposed Fair Pricing Act to cap these costs.
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Providence RI 02903 401-863-3375 public_health@brown.edu

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Christopher Whaley