health inequality costs $310 billion a year

Since D.C. can't seem to break out of the "cost" framework and seize this moment for a broader dialogue about real health system reform, let's discuss this "cost" tidbit from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies: The economic toll of health inequality for the nation from 2003-2006 was $1.24 trillion, or about $310 billion each year. That includes about $230 billion in direct medical care costs and the rest from indirect costs to the economy in lost work days due to illness, disability costs, and lost productivity due to premature death.

These calculations may be new, but many health advocates have long recognized that failure to address racial and ethnic health inequities, both in terms of health status and access to quality care, is a failure to truly reform our system. There is pending legislation that would begin to address many of these inequities: H.R. 3090, co-sponsored by the TriCaucus (Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus). It was introduced in late-June and is sitting in 10 different committees.

Somme clever Congressperson might offer the key pieces of it as an amendment as the three House Committee bills get consolidated.