1619: “Healthcare,” by Jeneen Interlandi
“The United States is the only high-income nation that does not guarantee some form of healthcare to all of its citizens. In the end, everyone is harmed.”
Hi Book Clubbers! Hope you are doing well. Have you been reading? 😀 No problem if you’re a little behind, because this week’s essay is short, plus next week is catch-up week. So feel free to bask in the sun while getting deep into the book.
For your reference, here’s our schedule.
This week, let’s read “Healthcare” by Jeneen Interlandi. The essay explains why our country does not have universal healthcare and the consequences that policy means for Black Americans. Ms. Interlandi emphasizes that the arguments against healthcare are racist and have not changed since Reconstruction.
She writes:
People of color continue to suffer most. Black and Latino Americans still have the highest uninsured rates in the country and still shoulder a disproportionate share of the nation’s poor health outcomes. But they are not alone. After all the debates and election and bills and lawsuits, millions of Americans — of every race, ethnicity, and political persuasion — still don’t have health insurance of any kind, and millions more are still forced to ration crucial medications, or to forgo critical procedures, or to choose in some other way between receiving healthcare and meeting other essential needs. In the end, everyone is harmed.
This week
Read “Healthcare,” by Jeneen Interlandi.
As always, feel free to reach out to me to let me know how you’re doing.
Thank you and have a great week!