Headshot of Vivian Ho

Vivian Ho

James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics

Biography

Vivian Ho, Ph.D., is the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics, a professor in the Department of Economics at Rice University, a professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and a nonresident senior scholar in the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. Ho’s research examines the effects of economic incentives and regulations on the quality and costs of health care. Her research is widely published in economics, medical and health services research journals. Ho’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the American Cancer Society and Arnold Ventures. 

Ho has served on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Statistics, as well as on the NIH Health Services, Outcomes and Delivery study section. She was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2020. Ho is also a founding board member of the American Society for Health Economists and a member of the Community Advisory Board at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Ho received her A.B. in economics from Harvard University, a graduate diploma in economics from The Australian National University and a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.

Contact at [email protected] or 713-348-2195.

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Health Policy in the First Year of Trump’s Second Administration
In its first year, the second Trump administration has enacted substantial shifts in U.S. health policy, affecting insurance access, care costs, and guidance on nutrition and vaccines. This brief from the Center for Health Policy examines how these changes, particularly federal budget cuts, are expected to reduce insurance coverage and increase costs.
Elena M. Marks, Vivian Ho, Charles W. Mathias, Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Katharine Harris, Heidi Russell May 19, 2026