Stacey Abrams’ organization, The Fair Fight Political Action Committee, is donating $1.34 million to a nonprofit in the attempt to clear growing medical debt in this country. But how we even got into this mess is a longstanding problem.
America doesn’t have universal healthcare, meaning not everyone has access to adequate healthcare – or any at all for that matter. Health care is often tied to your job – meaning unemployed people often have to suffer. But even people with health coverage suffer, too.
Low-income people, especially Black people from poorer neighborhoods, suffer from the cruelty of our country's healthcare system. Even basic health services cost way too much – so the system leaves people with high medical bills that are sometimes impossible to pay back.
American healthcare operates on a for-profit insurance system that benefits the rich and takes from the less fortunate. This furthers poverty in Black communities and contributes to our growing health issues, even though this isn't usually discussed as a Black issue.
Leaders like Stacey Abrams are using their power to support our community. We need more leaders like her, but even more we need a better health care system that’s focused on health instead of profit – our well-being depends on it.