Junjie Gai

 ABOUT ME

Hello, and welcome to my site!

I am Junjie Gai, a Ph.D. Candidate in Health Services and Policy at the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health, with a concentration in health economics and health policy. My research examines how major U.S. health policies—such as Medicare drug coverage reforms, substance use disorder (SUD) policies, and nursing home regulations—affect health outcomes, healthcare utilization, and organizational strategy.

My dissertation, Essays on the Impact of Health Policy on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment, includes studies on the Medicare Part D coverage gap, expanded Medicare coverage for opioid use disorder (OUD) under the SUPPORT Act, and state Good Samaritan Laws. I have published in journals such as the Journal of Applied Gerontology and Journal of Medical Internet Research, with additional work under review at Health Services Research and Health Affairs Scholar.

In addition to research, I am deeply committed to teaching and mentoring. At the University of Iowa, I have taught or assisted in courses such as Applied Public Health Methods, Analytics for Healthcare Management, and Program Implementation and Evaluation. I emphasize student engagement, real-world application, and data literacy, helping students develop skills in Excel and Stata to analyze real-world health datasets and connect theory to practice.

My academic journey began with a B.S. in Labor and Social Security from Binzhou Medical University, followed by an M.S. in Healthcare Decision Analysis from the University of Southern California. At Iowa, I have been honored with awards such as the Bonnie J. and Douglas S. Wakefield Award and the Advancing Graduate Student Success Award for excellence in research and service.

Looking ahead, my goals are to continue producing policy-relevant research, mentor diverse learners and future public health leaders, and build collaborative partnerships that improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Thank you for visiting my page!

Peer-Reviewed Publications

1. Gai J, Arora K. The impact of closing Medicare part D coverage gap on mental health of adults over age 65. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 2024;44(6):927-937. doi:10.1177/07334648241290324

2. Qiu Y, Huang H, Gai J, De Leo G. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Age-Based Disparities in Digital Health Technology Use: Secondary Analysis of the 2017-2022 Health Information National Trends Survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2024;26:e65541. doi:10.2196/65541

Current Working Paper

1. Gai J, Sharma H, Kaskie B, Jogerst G. Evaluating the Effect of National Background Check Program on Nursing Home Deficiency Citations. Under Review. Health Services Research.

2. Gai J, Arora K, Carnahan R. The Impact of Expanding Medicare Coverage on Opioid Use Disorder Treatment. Under Review. Health Affairs Scholar.

3. Huang H, Benitez J, Wehby G, Gai J, Zhu X. Spillover or Isolation: The Effect of Medicaid Primary Care Fee Bump Expiration on Primary Care Provision for Medicare Beneficiaries. In Preparation.

4. Arora K, Gai, J. Cognitive Decline and Lifecourse Patterns – Evidence from Longitudinal Aging Study in India. In Preparation.

5. Gai J, Arora K. The Impact of Good Samaritan Laws on Substance Use Disorder Treatment. In Preparation.

6. Sharma H, Gai J. The Effect of National Background Check Program on Nurse Staffing Hours in Nursing Homes. In Preparation.

7. Sharma H, Gai J. Causal Effect of Nursing Home Closure on Resident Outcomes in Rural Areas. In Preparation.