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James W. Roberts

Professor of Economics
Economics
Box 90097, Durham, NC 27708-0097
213G Social Sciences Building, Durham, NC 27708

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Economics · 2019 - Present Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Chair of Economics · 2020 - Present Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

In the News


Published September 23, 2025
Four Selected as Provost Faculty Fellows for 2025-26
Published March 19, 2025
Econ Majors Get a Close Look at the Federal Reserve

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Recent Publications


Financial Ties, Market Structure, Commercial Prices, and Medical Director Compensation in Dialysis.

Journal Article JAMA health forum · June 2025 ImportanceGrowing consolidation in the dialysis industry has raised concerns about market power and the potential need for antitrust enforcement, but a lack of data previously prevented a systematic analysis of these issues.ObjectiveTo do ... Full text Cite

Ambulance Taxis: The Impact of Regulation and Litigation on Health Care Fraud.

Journal Article The journal of political economy · May 2025 We study the effectiveness of pay-and-chase lawsuits and upfront regulations for combating health care fraud. Between 2003 and 2017, Medicare spent $7.7 billion on 37.5 million regularly scheduled ambulance rides for patients traveling to and from dialysis ... Full text Cite

Provision of transplant education for patients starting dialysis: Disparities persist.

Journal Article Heliyon · September 15, 2024 BACKGROUND: All patients starting dialysis should be informed of kidney transplant as a renal replacement therapy option. Prior research has shown disparities in provision of this information. In this study, we aimed to identify patient sociodemographic an ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Effects of Negotiated Price Transparency Regulations: Evidence from Hospital Prices

ResearchMentor · Awarded by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality · 2023 - 2025

Vertical Integration of Specialty Physician Practices and the Association with Private Equity Acquisition of Short-term Acute Care Hospitals

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation · 2022 - 2025

Can Auctions Fight Fraud? Lessons from Medicare's Durable Medical Equipment Competitive Bidding Program

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Boston University · 2023 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


Northwestern University · 2009 Ph.D.
Northwestern University · 2005 M.A.
Davidson College · 2004 B.A.

External Links


Personal Website