Health Policy and Management
School of Public Health

HPM Assistant Professor Miranda Yaver’s book had only been out a week when it hit the top spot for government books on Amazon’s best-sellers list.

Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States draws on survey research, administrative data, and interviews to examine why health insurance coverage is denied and how those decisions affect patients—often due to racial and economic inequities.

At the book’s official launch at White Whale Bookstore in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, Yaver discussed the book’s findings with health journalist Sarah Boden.

“I tell everyone, if you are denied coverage, appeal it,” Yaver told a packed audience. “A lot of people don’t appeal because they don’t know how many people win when they do appeal,”

The topic of insurance denials has been in the headlines since December 2024, when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York City.

Yaver’s research has found that the most common reason a denial wasn’t appealed was that patients were unaware they could appeal, reflecting the “learning cost” burden addressed in the book. Other reasons for not appealing were assumptions that people rarely win, despite data showing a 50 percent reversal rate. Lower-income patients were nine percent less likely to appeal, according to Yaver, who also found that Black and non-White Hispanic patients were less likely to win an appeal on a denial, as were people in worse physical health.

She added that some insurance companies' explanations of the appeals process are hard to comprehend. “I fed United Healthcare’s insurance appeal explainer into ChatGPT and asked what grade level it was written at; it said 13th. The average American is closer to an 8th-grade level. That means a lot of people are going to see a denial and take it as the final word.”

Between 2016 and 2023, coverage denials rose from 9% to 12%, coupled with increased compliance with prior authorization requirements. However, Yaver says the fractured nature of American health insurance makes it hard to get a comprehensive view of the issues that prevent people from accessing care, as problems vary across carriers and even within plans at the same insurer.

As the discussion wrapped up, Yaver says she hopes the book will not only inform people about their options but also spur some to contact lawmakers and urge them to act.

The lone MHA/MBA joint degree student in her cohort, Jamie Goldman, has had her end goal in mind since before coming to Pitt, where she says her experience has made her more driven.

As an undergrad, you majored in Finance.What led you to pursue public health and earn both an MHA and an MBA?

My journey in healthcare started early and was shaped by my time volunteering across various departments at Akron Children’s Hospital and my own experience navigating the healthcare system as a patient with Type One Diabetes. These perspectives gave me a firsthand look at the complexities of care and inspired a long-term goal to change patients’ lives from within the system. During my undergraduate years, I chose to major in Finance to build a strong analytical foundation, because I believe that fiscal and analytical fluency is essential for any effective administrator.

As I was completing my internship during my time in undergrad, I quickly learned that while finance provided me with the language of business, I needed a deeper mastery of health policy and organizational strategy to help drive meaningful change. This led me to pursue the MHA/MBA dual degree to pair my financial background with the specialized expertise needed to navigate the U.S. healthcare landscape, ensuring I could lead organizations that are not only fiscally sound but also deeply committed to patent advocacy and health equity. 

What topics or areas are you most interested in?

Coming into the program, I was primarily focused on the mechanics of finances as the foundation of any successful organization. However, my time in the dual-degree program, combined with my passion for health equity, has evolved that interest into a focus on value-based care. I have come to realize that the most effective way to provide the best possible care for patients is to align an organization’s financial incentives with its clinical outcomes.

Through my Extended Administrative Residency at UPMC Health Plan, I have had the opportunity to explore this intersection more deeply. Working on both strategic planning and operational projects has allowed me to see how high-level financial strategy directly impacts the member experience.

What do you enjoy most about being a Pitt student?

Being part of this program means not only getting to know the alumni but also meeting a wide range of other impressive leaders throughout the healthcare industry. During my time at Pitt, I have had the opportunity to meet with a wide range of individuals at different points in their careers and learn from them. This helped me grow professionally, learn more about different areas of healthcare I would not have initially considered, and expand my network with individuals across the industry.

What are your goals for the future?

My future goals are first to finish out my third year in the program strongly. During this time, I would like to continue networking and building connections with professionals I have met through Pitt. I am looking forward to taking more courses that challenge my knowledge and force me to think more deeply. In the long term, I would like to work for a health system that values putting patient care above all else.

What advice do you have for students thinking about pursuing the MHA/MBA program?

Take every opportunity this program gives you. There are numerous opportunities to either talk to individuals, improve skills, attend panels, and conferences that help shape you as a professional in various ways. As much as you learn in your coursework, it is the additional external experiences that help bridge the gap between theory and practice.  Embracing these moments allows you to move beyond the textbook and begin visualizing the kind of leader you want to be post-graduation. The program goes quickly, so don’t wait until later to jump in, take advantage of every opportunity.

After a career spanning more than four decades, HPM’s Mark Roberts has retired, but not before giving one last lecture that included some of the people who know him best.

Cigarette use may have peaked in popularity in the U.S. in the 60s but tobacco products are still responsible for nearly 20% of preventable disease and deaths.

HPM’s Natalie Smith is researching the “how” and “why” behind tobacco policy and prevention.

HPM PhD student Auti Johnson has been selected as a part of the newest Student Scholar cohort by Pitt Law’s Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice (CCRRJ).

Supported by the Eberly Foundation and the Heinz Endowments, the CCRRJ focuses on advancing constitutional, legislative, and regulatory protections of civil rights at the federal, state, and local levels.

Johnson’s research examines when the justice system, which refers more than one in four people into substance use treatment nationally, becomes the primary gatekeeper to that protected access.

“Some of the patterns we observe raise questions about how institutional treatment referral structures may shape access, with potential implications for health outcomes and who ultimately has a meaningful opportunity to engage in care,” she said, adding that it's important to recognize that examining how these mechanisms operate is, at its core, a civil rights inquiry.

“I appreciate that CCRRJ recognizes the importance of this question and, alongside my HPM faculty mentors, is supporting this work in a way that allows me to better understand the underlying dynamics.”

Being named a CCRRJ student scholar will allow Johnson to move into the next phase of her work, developing an extension suggested by the findings while creating space for multidisciplinary feedback to directly shape the study design.

“It means a great deal to have this work seen through a civil rights lens, because that is how I understand it,” she said. “I am especially grateful to Pitt Law for creating another home for this kind of scholarship.

As she continues her work, Johnson appreciates that it aligns with the values behind CCRRJ’s work: community-engaged, shaped by lived experience, and accountable to the people it is ultimately about. “Their recognition of this work means that I gain another meaningful network that shares that commitment, along with the support to move into the next phase. It is exciting.”

More than 40% of people will develop cancer in their lives, 58% of those cases will be in people 65 and older, meaning Medicare will likely pay for the treatment.

HPM Professor Lindsay Sabik and Associate Professor Coleman Drake have been awarded an R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute to study insurance-related barriers – primarily with Medicare Advantage Plans – preventing people from getting timely care.   

Dean’s Day is Pitt Public Health’s annual showcase where students present research posters to the multidisciplinary Pitt Public Health community.

This year, five posters from HPM were selected for presentation: Second-year MPH students Delaney Kenyon and Alexa Pierce, PhD candidates Haley Director and Yuanbo Zhang and postdoctoral researcher Jacob Whitman.

Kenyon’s poster focusing on the effects of including bias education in emergency medical service certificate programs was awarded the Center for Public Health Practice Award as the project demonstrating a contribution to policy making and/or applications for improving practice.

Pierce’s research focused on mobile health units that provide sexual and reproductive health services across the country to determine where they are, what services they offer and how policies in some states on reproductive health affect the use and operations of the service/

Director’s poster focused on work from her dissertation research, looking at genetic testing coverage and policies affecting coverage in different states.

Zhang’s poster expanded on her research into the utilization of telemedicine, this year examining the impact of virtual visits compared to in-office visits on hospital-free days post-surgery.

Whitman’s work expanded on his collaboration with HPM’s Lindsay Sabik into a global budget model for rural hospitals to address shortfalls.

All posters presented were judged by faculty from all departments in Pitt Public Health.

See more pictures of HPM's entries here and more pictures from Pitt Public Health here. 

The Master of Health Administration and the Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management are among the best in the country, according to voters in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings.

The MHA program is ranked #12 in the nation, holding the same position as last year. The latest rankings also maintain Pitt’s place as the highest-ranked health care administration program in Pennsylvania.

“This result shows that we are a destination for future leaders in health care administration,” said Health Policy and Management Vice Chair for Education and Director of the MHA and MHA/MBA programs Kevin Broom, PhD, MBA. “Our position as a top program is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students and faculty in the program, and after graduating.”

The MPH rose two spots to #16 in the country amid the relatively new ranking system that differentiates MPH programs by discipline.
“This shows the impact our students, faculty and staff have on their field while they are here and once they graduate and move on to post-graduate placements,” said Cindy Bryce, PhD, associate dean for enrollment at Pitt Public Health and co-director of the MPH and JD/MPH programs.

“At a time when public health faces challenges, our students rise to meet them with the help and support of our department,” adds Tina Hershey, JD, MPH, HPM associate professor and co-director of the MPH and JD/MPH programs.

The School of Public Health rose to #14 overall, with several other programs also ranking in the Top 20.

HPM Professor and Vice Chair for Research Lindsay Sabik has been named to the Health Services Research Committee for the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The Health Services Research Committee will focus on evidence development that characterizes pressing challenges, opportunities, and trends in cancer care and research and furthers ASCO's strategic priorities. The committee will provide strategic guidance to the State of Cancer Care in America (SOCCA) program, focusing on factors that affect patient access to high-quality, equitable cancer care, as well as research, workforce development and well-being.

“This is a great opportunity to engage in initiatives and research around cancer care delivery and access at the national level,” said Sabik.

Sabik’s research focuses on how policies affect healthcare access, utilization, and health outcomes among low-income populations, with a particular focus on cancer care. She is also the director of the Population-based cANcer Data and Analytics (PANDA) Center at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

In early March, three HPM students attended one of the largest healthcare information conferences in the country.

Swetha Ramkumar (MPH ’26), Ali Resch (MPH ’26) and Nishia Thawani (MPH ’26) attended HIMSS 2026 in Las Vegas.

Hosted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the conference connects more than 30,000 health IT professionals, executives and professionals from around the world.

“Hearing directly from healthcare leaders and practitioners provided valuable insights into the future of healthcare and how healthcare delivery continues to evolve,” said Ramkumar.

An HPM team faced off against dozens of other teams from 35 universities around the country, applying what they’ve learned to a real-world scenario at the annual Cleveland Clinic Case Competition.

In early February, the teams are tasked with developing strategic recommendations for leaders at one of the world's top health care systems. After receiving the case, participants had a weekend to prepare their initial proposals for review by Cleveland Clinic administrators and caregivers, 12 were invited to the Clinic’s main campus for a formal presentation.

The team of Neeharika Balaji (MHA ’26), Paul Rudie (MHA ’27), Ayomide Okosun (MHA ’27) and observer Adam Greenwood (MHA ’27) were among those selected.

This year’s case tasked teams with developing proposals to enhance the patient experience and provider effectiveness through AI and digital health tools.

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Have thoughts on the city doing nothing for years, then all of a sudden trying to clean up and repair everything a week before the NFL draft, like a student who forgot about a 10-page paper until the night before? Don't tell me, tell the mayor.(If he's not jumping into pools fully clothed. Seriously, he's done it or joked about it multiple times.)