Economic Barriers to Access

Goal: To reduce economic barriers to accessing health and health care for the people of New Hampshire Investment to Date: $7,535,034 Number of grants to date: 146

Overview:

Good health is a product of where and how we live and work, our access to care, our individual and collective behavior, and our 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.  Even those with access to the healthcare system can find it complex and confusing: quality and outcomes vary and the payment system is confusing. The Affordable Care Act will bring much needed change to an expensive health care system that has left many out and hasn’t always promoted health, prevented disease, or provided high-quality care. The Endowment’s work to reduce economic barriers to health will continue to focus on developing access for all residents to a high quality, cost-effective health system for all, with special attention to the safety net system and our most vulnerable and underserved populations.

Economic Barriers Theme Summary