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The Digest

Who Ultimately Pays Credit Card Interchange Fees?
Article
Every time a consumer swipes a credit card, the merchant pays an interchange fee—typically around 1.9 percent of the transaction value—most of which funds the rewards that cardholders receive. Because merchants generally charge the same prices regardless of how customers pay, consumers who use cash or debit cards effectively help finance the rewards enjoyed by credit card users. In Who Pays for Payments? (NBER Working Paper 35067), Mark L. Egan, Gregor Matvos, Amit...

Regulatory Limits on the Concentration of Mutual Fund Portfolios
Article
The US stock market has become more concentrated in recent years. Between 2015 and 2024, the share of the 10 largest stocks in total market capitalization rose from 13 to 31 percent, with the “Magnificent 7” companies alone accounting for roughly one-third of the S&P 500 by the end of 2024. This concentration poses a practical challenge for the thousands of investment funds that must comply with long-standing diversification rules designed for a far less top-heavy market...

The Reporter

Program Report: Economics of Education
Article
Author(s): Caroline M. Hoxby
The NBER Economics of Education Program covers topics related to education in a manner that is deeply informed by economic logic and empirical methods. The program draws upon theory from several fields including public, labor, development, and urban economics, as well as industrial organization. The program has 179 members and meets three times a year in Cambridge, Chicago, Stanford, and Washington. The average meeting attracts about 100 submissions for a program of about 10...

Innovative Investments in Local Jails
Article
Author(s): Marcella Alsan, Peter Hull & Crystal Yang
In research conducted in collaboration with Arkey Barnett at the University of Michigan and Meghan Beal at the National Sheriffs’ Association, we investigate the effects of innovative investments in local jails that aim to improve health and rehabilitation outcomes for incarcerated individuals and their communities. The US has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with nearly 2 million people detained in correctional facilities every year. While most people...

The Bulletin on Health

How Inspection Timing Affects Care Quality in US Nursing Homes
Article
Nursing homes certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide care and receive public reimbursement through Medicare and Medicaid are subject to mandatory annual inspections. While inspections are unannounced, they typically occur on an approximately yearly basis, as 74 percent of inspections take place between 40 and 60 weeks after the previous one. The average gap is around 53 weeks. Due to the cyclical nature of inspections, nursing home operators...

Health Effects of Managed Care Delivery for Medicaid’s Long-Term Services and Supports
Article
With the aging of the US population, demand for medical and nonmedical assistance with basic daily activities is high and rising. Medicaid bears over 60 percent of the costs of this assistance, paying $255 billion in 2022 for long-term services and supports (LTSS). In response to these costs, some state Medicaid programs have shifted delivery of these services from fee-for-service to managed care. The shift to a managed care model for delivery of long-term services and...

The Bulletin on Entrepreneurship

Capital Gains Taxation and Startup Founders
Article
 The US capital gains tax is realization based, which means that taxes are due when appreciated assets are sold. Critics of this approach argue that it allows asset holders, such as corporate founders, to defer their tax obligations, sometimes indefinitely. An alternative approach, taxing gains on accrual, would require asset holders to value their assets periodically and to pay tax on the gain since the last valuation. Critics of this approach argue that it could force...

The Geographic Expansion of Innovative Firms
Article
 Most US innovation stems from firms that operate R&D facilities in many local markets. IBM and Google are two prominent examples, with R&D activities—measured by patenting—in approximately 70 and 20 distinct locations, respectively. When a technology company opens an R&D facility in a new location, it may generate knowledge spillovers that benefit nearby firms and inventors. In The Geography of Innovative Firms (NBER Working Paper 34010), Craig A. Chikis,...

The Bulletin on the Economics of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

The Financial Impact of Cognitive Decline Before Dementia Diagnosis
Article
Dementia imposes substantial costs on individuals and society through healthcare expenses and caregiving needs. However, the economic consequences may begin years before clinical diagnosis, as cognitive decline can impair financial decision-making, compromise portfolio management, and increase susceptibility to fraud. In Dementia and Long-Run Trajectories in Household Finances (NBER Working Paper 34659), Jing Li, Kathleen M. McGarry, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, and...

Parental Dementia and the Wellbeing of Adult Children
Article
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) currently affect nearly 50 million people worldwide. This number is expected to grow substantially in coming decades. While direct medical expenses of ADRD are well documented, the full societal burden includes a variety of impacts on family members. Standard cost estimates typically capture only foregone wages from hands-on caregiving, overlooking broader effects on relatives' wellbeing, including mental health consequences,...