Economic Barriers to Access

Goal: To reduce economic barriers to accessing health and health care for the people of New Hampshire Investment to Date: $6,773,496 Number of grants to date: 128

Overview:

Health is a product of where and how we live and work, access to care, individual and collective behavior, and family and community history. In this mix, economic status has a far greater impact on health than our egalitarian society would like to admit.

Economic barriers to health include lack of access to care, safe housing, healthy food, and physical activity. Those with access to the healthcare system can find it complex and confusing: quality varies and the payment system is far from clear. Our health system is showing signs of stress, as the pillars of funding struggle under the weight of increasing premiums and escalating costs to public programs.

Systems-level change and a step-by-step approach are needed to address spiraling costs in a system that leaves many out and doesn't always promote health, prevent disease, or provide high quality care. We also need to understand the systems that promote health and wealth for some in our society and not others.

Economic Barriers Theme Summary