Research

Job Market Paper

Abstract: Since the onset of the opioid epidemic in the 1990s, over one million Americans have died from drug overdoses. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) increased access to substance abuse treatment, including treatment in residential settings. This study investigates the impact of the ACA on the availability of residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) facilities and examines whether the evolution of overdose deaths differs between counties that gained RSAT facilities and those that did not. Using county-level data on business establishments and mortality from 2004 to 2016, I employ difference-in-differences and event study designs to estimate the ACA’s effect on RSAT access. I also apply a triple-differences model, leveraging variation in RSAT facility expansion across counties, to assess the relationship between the establishment of new facilities and overdose deaths. Findings indicate that the ACA increased the number of RSAT facilities by 24% in previously low-market saturation areas, while Medicaid expansions under the ACA increased the supply of RSAT facilities by 15%. However, the change in overdose deaths between counties that gained RSAT facilities and those that did not is not statistically significant. These results suggest that while the ACA improved access to RSAT in certain counties, this increase in availability did not lead to a reduction in overdose deaths.


Working Papers

Abstract: Housing affordability is closely linked to stability, particularly for renters. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program incentivizes the production of affordable rental housing for low-income households. This paper investigates the impact of LIHTC on the housing stability of economically disadvantaged students, using student-level data from the North Carolina Education Research Data Center (2000-2017). Employing a difference-in-differences design and a linear probability model, I find that moving into a block group with a new LIHTC unit reduces the likelihood of relocation for both economically disadvantaged students, who are likely eligible for LIHTC units, and non-disadvantaged students, who are unlikely to qualify. Additionally, I examine the spillover effects of LIHTC projects at the block group level. The results show that constructing a new LIHTC project does not affect attendance rates or test scores of local students compared to those living in non-LIHTC block groups. My findings suggest there is no evidence that LIHTC improves the stability of economically disadvantaged students relative to non-disadvantaged students. Furthermore, building new low-income housing does not influence the academic outcomes of students already living in the area.


Abstract: Over time, more physicians choose to work in group practices. Despite extensive literature on malpractice, no study has examined the effects of malpractice on other physicians. Using data from the Medical Board of California's physician and surgeon database and the National Provider Identifier files (2015-2021), this paper investigates whether physicians relocate after a colleague's malpractice information is revealed to the public. I find no evidence that physicians relocate in response to such information shocks. However, when focusing on physicians with complete records 36 months before and after the revelation, younger physicians are 0.13% more likely to relocate compared to older physicians with over 27 years of experience. The high opportunity costs of relocation, the limited effect on malpractice premiums, and the strong professional ties within the same practice may explain this overall null effect.


Publications 

Park, S., & Go, S. (2018). Children’s Age and the Labor Supply of Married Women in Korea. Journal of Korean Economic Development, 24(4), 23-39. 


Park, S., & Go, S. (2018). The Effect of Children's Age on Married Women's Career Reinterruption. The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business, 9(7), 43-52.