A fix for racial health care inequities

By Jacqueline Marshall
The Charlotte Observer, March 2, 2020

It’s time to think about a major sickness plaguing our health system — racial inequities.

Black Americans are much more likely to be uninsured. They have lower life expectancies and are more likely to die from diabetes and heart disease. Black mothers are 320% more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications.

Comprehensive universal coverage can close most of these racial disparities. Black men in the VA have a 24% lower death rate than whites. And once Americans enroll in Medicare, racial health disparities shrink or disappear. We can replicate the successes of the VA and Medicare with Medicare for All — the only policy that will provide equal protection to everybody.