Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall
Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Medical School and School of Public Health
Dr. Sumit Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. is a primary care physician, health economist, and assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School and School of Public Health. Agarwal’s research examines the impact of social, economic, and insurance policies on health. He has, for example, investigated cash transfers, minimum wage laws, and Medicaid as potential ways of improving economic security and health. His research has been published in high-impact journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Health Affairs. His work has been supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.
Agarwal is a research faculty affiliate of the Institute of Healthcare Policy & Innovation, Poverty Solutions, and the Population Dynamics and Health Program in the Population Studies Center at the Institute for Social Research at U-M. He is also part of the research team for the Rx Kids perinatal cash prescription program.
Ph.D. in Health Policy and Health Economics, Harvard University; MPH, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; MD, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine; BA in ecomomics, Washington University in St. Louis
Poverty Solutions is a founding partner of Rx Kids, led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly. Originally launched in Flint, Michigan in 2024, Rx Kids has expanded to reach thousands of families with millions in direct cash support. This no-strings-attached support is transforming health and economic outcomes for families.
