A significant number of 'avoidable' ED visits were for mental health and dental conditions, which the ED is not fully equipped to treat. Our findings provide a better understanding of what policy initiatives could potentially reduce these 'avoidable' ED visits to address the gaps in our healthcare system, such as increased access to mental health and dental care.

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Key Points Question Are ambulance 9-1-1 times longer in high-income compared with low-income areas, and how do response times compare with national benchmarks across income quartiles? Findings In this US national, cross-sectional study of 63 600 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, EMS times remained 10% longer in the poorest areas and were more likely to meet 8-minute and 15-minute cutoffs in high-income areas. Meaning Patients with cardiac arrest from the poorest neighborhoods had longer EMS times that were less likely to meet national benchmarks compared with those from the wealthiest neighborhoods, which may lead to increased disparities in the delivery of prehospital care over time.