ZEW Health Economist Simon Reif Among the Top 40 Under 40

The business magazine Capital counts Professor Simon Reif, head of ZEW Mannheim’s Research Group “Health Care Markets and Health Policy” among the “Top 40 under 40” group. For Capital, Simon Reif is one of the most important talents in economics, politics and society who are shaping developments in Germany.

Simon Reif has been the head of the “Health Care Markets and Health Policy” Research Group at ZEW Mannheim since 2021 and he is Professor for Economics with a focus on health care markets at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). His research areas include digitalisation in the health care sector, structural change in health care and financing of statutory health insurers.

“We are delighted that Simon Reif has been included in the “Top 40 under 40” list. Health economics can contribute much to solving the current problems in the health care sector. Simon Reif is an outstanding researcher and is excellent at communicating research findings to the public. This award is impressive proof of this. Congratulations on this great success!” says ZEW President Achim Wambach.

One of Reif's current topics is a proposal to reform the risk adjustment scheme, which aims to ensure sustainable funding of statutory health insurance. “The approach to health insurance financing is short-sighted,” he explains. “Every year, statutory health insurers receive financial allocations for their policyholders based on the health status of the individual – those who are sicker get more money. As a result, insurers have no financial incentive to invest in the health of their members. That has to change.” Reif recommends a more long-term approach to risk adjustment, which would distribute contributions fairly between health insurances and promote targeted investment in health.

The team of Reif’s Research Group analyses health care markets and evaluates health policy measures. The goal of their work is to gain insights into how health care can be better organised. The research focuses on the provision of health care services, in particular the market structure, remuneration systems and digitalisation in the health care sector.

We congratulate Simon Reif on receiving the “Capital – Top 40 under 40” award!