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Publication Medicaid LTSS Spending and Participation: Data Sources and Insights(2025-12-11) Arp, Patrick C.; White, Lindsay; Meara, Ellen; Ne’eman, Ari; Coe, Norma BEach year, state Medicaid programs are required to make choices about how best to apportion limited Medicaid dollars for long term services and supports (LTSS). The statutory framework under which Medicaid LTSS operates allows states to develop and implement LTSS programs tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of their beneficiaries. The resulting variability in programs presents an opportunity to identify program designs and policies that offer the best value – high-quality, accessible LTSS services that are financially sustainable. But, in concert with evidence on benefits of LTSS, key to determining value is accurate longitudinal data on how much states are spending on LTSS and what that spending buys. This paper examines the three primary sources of data on state Medicaid LTSS expenditures and beneficiaries: periodic reports submitted by states to the federal government, data from the Medicaid Statistical Information System (both the legacy system and the current, transformed system), and state surveys. We summarize the purpose and content of each data source, describe their strengths and limitations, and highlight the reliable data points from each that may be used by policymakers and researchers. We also describe significant trends in LTSS spending and beneficiaries that can be gleaned from the existing data.Publication Replication Study: Predictors of Loneliness in U.S. Adults Over Age Sixty-Five(2025-12-11) Arp, Patrick C.; Lee, Daniel S.; Sun, Chuxuan; Trivedi, Sheel; Yam, Emily; Stites, Shana D.Loneliness has been a prevalent problem for older adults in the United States, and it continues to threaten the well-being of older adults as that population reaches historic sizes. Loneliness is a growing population problem. In 2009, Theeke found almost 1 in 5 older Americans was lonely. Marital status and health factors predicted loneliness but other key variables, somewhat unexpectedly, did not. In this study, we replicate Theeke (2009)’s findings using 2020 data from the Health and Retirement Study. We sought to understand whether Theeke’s (2009) findings stand up over time given administrative changes to the parent study and changes in population factors. The current study’s findings have implications for efforts to replicate extant science and for understanding, what has been called, the loneliness epidemic in older Americans.Publication The Life You Save (For): Experiences Dominate Goods in Motivating Savings(2025-10-29) Yin, Siyuan; Donnelly, Grant; Lamberton, Cait; Norton, Michael I.Prior research suggests that when consumers think about spending, experiences tend to take priority over goods. But does this experiential dominance extend to motivation to save, which requires long-term planning and constant motivation to achieve their goal in the future? Across two field studies and six preregistered experiments, consumers are more motivated to initiate a savings goal, save toward, and protect their progress toward experiential versus material goals. Further, analyses of real saving behavior further support experiential dominance in success rates and persistence in streaks. We suggest that this effect arises because consumers perceive experiential goals as more versatile, which can be adapted to satisfy more needs and better accommodate the uncertain preferences of their future selves. Supporting this account, we demonstrate that the effect of experiential (vs. material) goals is stronger over a longer goal period and is less subject to goal gradient effects. Further, we reveal the effect is moderated by goal specificity. Together, these findings demonstrate that goals that are either related to or framed in terms of experiences better motivate savings, making both the encouragement of experiential goals and experiential framing a useful tool for policymakers, researchers, and consumers. focusing on promoting saving and improving financial well-being.Publication Insights Into the Future of Healthy Aging and Successful Retirement: An Overview(2025-10-28) Mitchell, Olivia SGlobal aging is transforming how societies approach longevity, health, and financial security, inspiring new research at the intersection of economics, medicine, and public policy. This volume collects emerging insights on the interconnections among health, wealth, and work in later life, offering innovative pathways for individuals, employers, and policymakers to promote healthy aging and more successful retirements.Publication The Life You Save (For): Experiences Dominate Goods in Motivating Savings(2025) Yin, SiyuanPrior research suggests that when consumers think about spending, experiences tend to take priority over goods. But does this experiential dominance extend to motivation to save, which requires long-term planning and constant motivation to achieve their goal in the future? Across two field studies and six preregistered experiments, consumers are more motivated to initiate a savings goal, save toward, and protect their progress toward experiential versus material goals. Further, analyses of real saving behavior further support experiential dominance in success rates and persistence in streaks. We suggest that this effect arises because consumers perceive experiential goals as more versatile, which can be adapted to satisfy more needs and better accommodate the uncertain preferences of their future selves. Supporting this account, we demonstrate that the effect of experiential (vs. material) goals is stronger over a longer goal period and is less subject to goal gradient effects. Further, we reveal the effect is moderated by goal specificity. Together, these findings demonstrate that goals that are either related to or framed in terms of experiences better motivate savings, making both the encouragement of experiential goals and experiential framing a useful tool for policymakers, researchers, and consumers. focusing on promoting saving and improving financial well-being.