Thiri Than
Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adults Enrolled in Medi-Cal
The U.S. health system stratifies care by insurance, separating Medicaid patients from those with private insurance into different providers, settings, and care experiences—a practice known as “payer segregated care.” This is especially visible in academic medical centers (AMCs), where publicly insured pregnant patients are often assigned to resident clinics, while privately insured patients see faculty physicians.
UCSF’s Health Care Segregation Study uses legal, historical, and qualitative methods to investigate the mechanisms and impacts of payer segregation. This summer, I will collaborate on a pilot study exploring the experiences of pregnant and parenting adults enrolled in Medi-Cal as they seek care at an AMC in Los Angeles County. Under UCSF faculty mentorship, I will help design and conduct interviews, recruit participants, and analyze emerging themes. With fluency in English and Burmese, I hope to connect with diverse participants and contribute to evidence that can inform more equitable healthcare policies and practices.
Message To Sponsor
I wholeheartedly like to thank you for allowing me to uplift diverse communities through research. Your donation not only grants me a special opportunity to learn qualitative research methods, but it also enables marginalized patients to be validated and heard, ensuring future high quality patient outcomes and experiences that will change many lives.