Our people are disproportionately more likely to need medical care yearly. And yet, we also have the lowest health insurance rates—both connected to racist medical, financial, and educational systems and medical and economic inequality.
But as a community, there are ways to ensure healthcare access and coverage without debt.
For those with medical coverage of any kind, using providers - hospitals, physicians, etc., is the most cost-effective strategy for saving. Using providers that are in-network can save up to 20% of expenses.
Generational trauma and systemic racism have led to many illnesses for Black Americans. We may not be able to help the medications prescribed to us when needed, but we CAN advocate for ourselves. Asking doctors to prescribe generic medications can save 20-70% in drug costs annually.
Whether a person has private insurance coverage, Medicare/Medicaid, or no coverage, preventative care is crucial to saving money. Routine checkups often catch chronic illnesses and disease processes early for less money.
We live in a country that has always done its best to put us at a disadvantage. In a system that frequently downplays our pain, it’s easy not to put our trust in the American healthcare system. Still, it’s the system we have, and we need to use it to our economic advantage.