James Frank Wharam

Frank Wharam, MD, MPH is a general internist and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wharam has leading expertise on the effects of commercial health insurance designs such as high-deductible health plans (HDHP), consumer-directed health plans (CDHP), and value-based insurance designs (VBID). He uses rigorous study designs to determine how health policies and system interventions affect healthcare quality and outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. His studies have focused on low-income patients, users of opioids, and individuals with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and bipolar disorder. He has expertise in analyzing natural experiments, quasi-experimental research design, and using large administrative databases to conduct observational studies. As Principal Investigator of multiple R01-level projects, his work often examines patient financial incentives and health outcomes. His conceptual writing focuses on the intersection of health policy and ethics.