Expert Research and Solutions on U.S. Health Care Policy Reform

Health Care In America: A Research-Driven Perspective

From Medicare and Medicaid to private insurance and local clinics, health care in the U.S. is shaped by an array of policies that affect people’s ability to get the care they need. As health care costs rise and coverage gaps persist, questions about access, quality, and equity remain at the center of the national debate.

The Scholars Strategy Network includes researchers who study today’s most pressing health care challenges. Explore briefs and No Jargon podcast episodes, where SSN members discuss current policies and share research-based solutions.

Featured Policy Briefs on Health Care

Wellness and Health Benefits Fair in Monterey, California

How Health Disparities Can be Reduced through Educational Gains and Improved Coordination of Community Services

By Peggy R. Biga

Improving education and coordinating community services can reduce health disparities by increasing economic opportunities and access to quality health care

Cardboard moving boxes stacked together

The Health Consequences of Moving from Place to Place

By Antwan Jones

Frequent moves can harm health, especially for children and low-income families, but moving to safer neighborhoods with better resources can reduce health risks.

Patient medical charts on top of stethoscope

The Moral and Practical Case for Universal Healthcare Coverage

By Gerald Friedman

The United States should adopt a single-payer, publicly funded health care system to reduce administrative costs, ensure universal coverage, and treat health care as a basic human right rather than a market commodity.

Community health worker helping an elderly man sit down

How Community Health Workers Help Address the Social Determinants of Health

By Ryan I. Logan

Community health workers bridge gaps in care by addressing social factors that affect health, and they should be fully integrated and funded as part of the healthcare system.

Featured Podcast Episodes on Health Care

Person comforting another person, placing hand on their back

Exposing America’s Mental Health Care Inequities

Gong delves into the history of mental health treatment in the U.S. and how it has shaped our current system and policy conversations.

Native American husband and wife hugging with masks on

Broken Promises for Native American Healthcare

Haozous explains what health disparities among Native Americans have looked like over the past few decades, where they stand now, and what needs to be done to better meet the health needs of tribal communities.

Patient in hospital gown

Ignoring Women’s Pain

Purvis discusses the role courts can play in supporting women’s care and outlines what steps are necessary to ensure women’s pain is no longer overlooked.

Health Care Experts

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
University of Illinois at Chicago
CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
College of William and Mary
University of California-Davis
 Boy getting a pediatric health screening

Health Equity Scholars Program

SSN’s Health Equity Scholar Program supports a cohort of early-career scholars who conduct research to enhance community well-being and aim to communicate their findings for public policy impact.

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