Asa Wilks

Associate Director, Research Programming Group; Senior Data Scientist

Santa Monica Office

Education

M.A.S. in applied statistics, University of California Los Angeles; M.P.A. in policy & economic analysis, Columbia University; B.A. in government, sociology, Cornell University

One Page Bio

Overview

Asa Wilks (he/him) is a senior data scientist at the RAND Corporation and serves as associate director of the Research Programming Group. He draws on more than 18 years of experience in quantitative public policy research across a range of policy areas. Wilks has expertise in data engineering and statistical modeling for policy research and is well versed in methods for econometric analysis, applied statistics, data science, and machine learning. He holds a BA in Government and Sociology from Cornell University, an MPA in Policy and Economic Analysis from Columbia University, and a Masters in Applied Statistics from UCLA.

Research Focus

Publications

Journal Article
Evaluation of Phase II of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model Test: First Three Years of Implementation (2020–2022)
RAND researchers are conducting a multiyear evaluation of the VBID Model test using a mixed-methods approach that involves surveys, interviews, and quantitative analyses of the relationship between VBID implementation and a variety of outcomes.
Oct 13, 2023
Journal Article
Impact of Drug Shortages on Consumer Costs
We identify and describe potential costs to patients from drug shortages, measure the impacts of shortages on available indicators of changes in costs to patients, and examine how shortage effects on patient costs vary by drug and patient characteristics.
Jun 28, 2023
Journal Article
Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Opioid Prescribing and Opioid-Related Hospital Visits in Colorado: An Observational Study
Our mixed findings suggest that further increases in cannabis beyond medical access may not always reduce opioid prescribing or opioid-related hospital visits at a population level.
Jun 27, 2023
Journal Article
Part D Senior Savings Model: Model Reach and Scope
This report describes the reach and scope of Medicare's Part D Senior Savings model, which has lower, fixed cost sharing for a specified set of model drugs.
Nov 9, 2022
Journal Article
Comparison of Hospital Claims and Poison Center Data to Evaluate Health Impact of Opioids, Cannabis and Synthetic Cannabinoids
This study demonstrates the differences in surveillance methodology for concurrent drug abuse epidemics using hospital claims and PC data. Both systems provide incomplete reports, but in combination can provide a more complete picture.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
Cannabis Legalization and Cannabis-Involved Pregnancy Hospitalizations in Colorado
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between presence of recreational cannabis dispensaries and prevalence of cannabis-involved pregnancy hospitalizations in Colorado.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
APCDs Can Provide Important Insights for Surveilling the Opioid Epidemic, With Caveats
We compared Colorado's all-payer claims databases with other state-level databases, using analyses comparing quarterly rates of opioid-involved inpatient and emergency department visits and rates of 30-day opioid fills.
2021
Journal Article
Changes in Emergency Department Encounters for Vomiting After Cannabis Legalization in Colorado
The findings of this study suggest that cannabis legalization in Colorado is associated with an increase in annual vomiting-related health care encounters with regard to exposure to these markets.
2021
Research Brief
Effects of a Public Option on Health Insurance Costs and Coverage
This brief describes how a public option for health care—that is, a government-sponsored health insurance plan with publicly determined provider payment rates—would affect insurance costs and coverage.
May 28, 2020
Report
Public Options for Individual Health Insurance: Assessing the Effects of Four Public Option Alternatives
There is growing interest in a "public option" for individual market insurance to improve affordability and enrollment. The authors estimate how adding a federal public option could affect enrollment, premiums, and government spending.
May 28, 2020
Report
Using Data to Support the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Initiative: Data Collection, Metric and Dashboard Creation, and Lessons Learned
The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative was a multiyear effort to improve student outcomes by increasing access to effective teaching. The authors discuss challenges in measuring effectiveness and how the team addressed them.
Mar 5, 2020
Report
Cross-Agency Evaluation of DoD, VA, and HHS Mental Health Public Awareness Campaigns: Analysis of Campaign Scope, Content, and Reach
This report evaluates efforts by four public awareness campaigns to overcome negative perceptions and promote awareness of mental health disorders and their treatment, with a focus on military and veteran populations.
Jan 29, 2020
Research Brief
Evaluating Public Awareness Campaigns to Promote Military and Veteran Mental Health
This brief describes the results of an interim evaluation that examined the scope, content, and dissemination of mental health public awareness campaigns. RAND researchers conducted a comprehensive evaluation of four such efforts.
Jan 29, 2020
Research Brief
Make the Connection: Findings and Recommendations
This brief is one in a series examining mental health public awareness campaigns' messages, consistency of messaging in their materials, and tools used to deliver content to audiences. This brief discusses materials from the Make the Connection.
Jan 29, 2020
Research Brief
Real Warriors Campaign: Findings and Recommendations
This brief is one in a series examining mental health public awareness campaigns' messages, consistency of messaging in their materials, and tools used to deliver content to audiences. This brief discusses materials from the Real Warrior Campaign.
Jan 29, 2020
Research Brief
Recovery Month: Findings and Recommendations
This brief is one in a series examining mental health public awareness campaigns' messages, consistency of messaging in their materials, and tools used to deliver content to audiences. This brief discusses materials from Recovery Month.
Jan 29, 2020
Research Brief
Veterans Crisis Line: Findings and Recommendations
This brief is one in a series examining mental health public awareness campaigns' messages, consistency of messaging in their materials, and tools used to deliver content to audiences. This brief discusses materials from the Veterans Crisis Line.
Jan 29, 2020
Report
Measuring Health Care Utilization in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data: Methods, Estimates, and Considerations for Research
This report describes methodologies, estimates, and technical considerations related to measuring health care utilization in Medicare Part C encounter data.
Jul 25, 2019
Report
An Assessment of the New York Health Act: A Single-Payer Option for New York State
This report assesses how the state-sponsored single-payer health program New York Health would affect health care utilization and costs in New York, estimating its effects on key outcomes and comparing them with future outcomes under the status quo.
Aug 1, 2018
Research Brief
Estimating the Effects of a Single-Payer Proposal in New York State
The New York Health Act could expand insurance coverage in New York without increasing overall health spending, if administrative costs are reduced and growth in provider payment rates is restrained. The program would be financed by new taxes.
Aug 1, 2018
Journal Article
Evidence for Misspecification of a Nationally Used Quality Measure for Substance Use Treatment
Our results suggest that the omission of MAT in the current version of the HEDIS measure "Initiation and Engagement of Alcohol and Other Drug Dependence Treatment" results in meaningful measurement error.
2018
Report
Delivering Clinical Practice Guideline–Concordant Care for PTSD and Major Depression in Military Treatment Facilities
This report describes the psychological health workforce at military treatment facilities, examines the extent to which care is consistent with clinical practice guidelines, and identifies facilitators and barriers to providing this care.
Aug 14, 2017
Infographic
Military Mental Health Care: Provider Perspectives on Treating PTSD and Depression
This infographic describes data on various aspects of the Military Health System capacity to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Aug 14, 2017
Report
Evaluation of an Intervention to Prevent Falls
Researchers linked data from a randomized controlled trial to Medicare claims to determine whether a fall-prevention intervention reduced health care costs or the frequency of emergency department visits for fall-related injuries.
Oct 26, 2016
Journal Article
Medicare Home Visit Program Associated with Fewer Hospital and Nursing Home Admissions, Increased Office Visits
Clinical home visit programs for Medicare beneficiaries are a promising approach to supporting aging in place and avoiding high-cost institutional care.
Dec 10, 2015
Report
Strategic Analysis of the 2014 Wounded Warrior Project Annual Alumni Survey: A Way Forward
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) seeks to support the mental, physical, and economic well-being of service members and veterans injured during their service. This report documents an analysis of 2014 survey data in terms of how WWP is meeting that goal.
Oct 5, 2015