By: Chris Yard
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed a light on many of the racial inequities that still plague our society, with one key takeaway being the pronounced impact that the virus has had on Black communities. But COVID-19 is not an anomaly when it comes to racial health disparities, it is unfortunately yet another example of Black Americans, on average, suffering worse health outcomes than their white counterparts due to various factors including socioeconomic status and broader healthcare access, among others.
One would hope that the prominent actors in our healthcare system would use the moment we find ourselves in to implement solutions that help level the playing field for Black Americans. Instead, there is clear evidence the dangerous trend of cutting key healthcare providers from insurance networks is becoming an issue statewide for Black Tennesseans.