The Quality & Accessibility of Healthcare: The Influence of Socioeconomic Status

This policy brief will analyze the multifaceted role of socioeconomic status (SES) in the accessibility and quality of healthcare received. The analysis will assess tried and current policies to reduce the health inequity caused by a lower SES. It will also analyze SES and suggest further policy interventions to promote the quality and accessibility of healthcare.

Published by

Krithik Elango

July 3, 2024

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Inquiry-driven, this project may reflect personal views, aiming to enrich problem-related discourse.

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Acknowledgment

The Institute for Youth in Policy wishes to acknowledge Paul Kramer, Carlos Bindert, Gwen Singer, and other contributors for developing and maintaining the Programming Department within the Institute.

References

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Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). “About the Affordable Care Act.” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 17 Mar. 2022, www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html.

Caballo, B., et al. The Effects of Socioeconomic Status on the Quality and Accessibility of Healthcare Services. Zenodo, May 2021, https://zenodo.org/records/4740684

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy | Health Literacy | CDC.” Www.cdc.gov, 20 Feb. 2020, www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/planact/national.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Socioeconomic Factors .” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Sept. 2023, www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/health_equity/socioeconomic.htm.

Claxton, Gary, et al. “The Burden of Medical Debt in the United States.” KFF, 10 Mar. 2022, www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/the-burden-of-medical-debt-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=This%20analysis%20of%20government%20data.

“Financial Condition and Health Care Burdens of People in Deep Poverty.” ASPE, 15 July 2015, https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/financial-condition-health-care-burdens-people-deep-poverty-0

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Hinton, Elizabeth, and Samantha Artiga. “Beyond Health Care: The Role of Social Determinants in Promoting Health and Health Equity.” Kaiser Family Foundation, 10 May 2018, www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/beyond-health-care-the-role-of-social-determinants-in-promoting-health-and-health-equity/.

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Sindhu. “The Role of Socioeconomic Status in Public Health.” EWU, 14 Aug. 2023, https://online.ewu.edu/degrees/healthcare/public-health/socioeconomic-status-in-public-health/

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Victoria Bailey. “Low Socioeconomic Status Negatively Impacted Healthcare Delivery.” HealthPayerIntelligence, 26 Apr. 2022, https://healthpayerintelligence.com/news/low-socioeconomic-status-negatively-impacted-healthcare-delivery.

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Other Fellowship Capstones

The Political and Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Financial Fraud Detection on Remittances in the Global South

Capstones Summer 2025

Sofia R. Rodriguez

This policy brief analyzes how AI-powered fraud detection systems in financial services disproportionately harm international remittances to the Global South, where the flows are vital for household economies and national stability. Systematic algorithmic bias flags legitimate transfers as fraudulent, leading to account lockouts, blocked transactions, and driving migrants toward insecure underground systems like hawala. The fragmentation of regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions enables technological discrimination, eroding both individual livelihoods and the political leverage of remittance-dependent states such as El Salvador. The brief calls for urgent multilateral intervention, including bias elimination requirements, liability frameworks, and recognition of remittance access as a protected human right under international law.

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This presentation offers an in-depth examination of the persisting gender wage gap in the United States, highlighting the reality that women, particularly women of color, still earn significantly less than men.

Emergency Medical Services For All: A Case for Publicaly Funded EMS

Capstones - Spring 2026

Jaden Glogg

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the United States operate under a fragmented funding system that relies heavily on patient billing, insurance reimbursements, and inconsistent local funding sources. As ambulance transport costs continue to rise, many Americans, particularly those from low-income communities, face significant financial barriers to accessing emergency medical care. This policy brief examines the consequences of the current fee-for-service EMS model, including delayed emergency response utilization, health inequities, and financial instability among EMS providers. Drawing upon historical developments, current funding challenges, and existing policy initiatives, the brief argues that EMS should be recognized and funded as an essential public service comparable to fire and police protection. The analysis evaluates three policy options: federal designation of EMS as an essential service with dedicated block-grant funding, expanded Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement reform, and state-level public EMS authority models. While each option offers potential improvements, federal designation combined with sustained public funding provides the most comprehensive solution for eliminating patient billing and ensuring equitable access to emergency care. By restructuring EMS financing around public investment rather than individual payment, policymakers can improve health outcomes, strengthen emergency response systems, and ensure that all Americans receive emergency medical assistance regardless of their ability to pay.

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Acknowledgment

References

Other Fellowship Capstones

The Political and Economic Impacts of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Financial Fraud Detection on Remittances in the Global South

The Gender Wage Gap

Emergency Medical Services For All: A Case for Publicaly Funded EMS