Barriers to Care Are Many and Persistent
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The Carolina Panthers take valuable lessons from last week’s Chicago loss into a key stretch of games, starting at New Orleans THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY SINCE 1906 TThhee CChhaarrlloottttee PPoosstt WEEK OF OCTOBER 22, 2020 VOLUME 47, NUMBER 7 WWW.THECHARLOTTEPOST.COM $1.50 « WOMB TO TOMB: THE RACIAL HEALTH GAP Wallet decisive for most voters Economy is top priority to 9 in 10 By Stacy M. Brown NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION As President Donald Trump flip-flops on whether he would back a new stimulus proposal to help stabilize America’s in- creasingly fragile financial, consumer and business PAUL WILLIAMS III | THE CHARLOTTE POST markets — and provide a DonnaMarie Woodson of Charlotte, a survivor of colon and breast cancer, credits health care in- lifeline to struggling Amer- surance she bought through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with saving her life. “I icans — the latest Gallup would not be speaking with you today because I wouldn’t have gone in time,” she says. poll reveals that the econ- omy remains a major con- cern among voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Nine in 10 respondents Barriers to care are identified the economy as extremely or very impor- tant to their vote The poll, released on Oc- tober 5, listed national se- many and persistent curity and terrorism as the next biggest concern (83%), followed by education Insurance gulf widens as virus-driven recession deepens (82%), healthcare (80%), By Herbert L. White down at that point. So, it literally saved my crime (79%), the COVID-19 response (77%), and race [email protected] life because if I would have waited, I would not be speaking with you today because I relations (76%). This article was produced as a project for wouldn't have gone in time.” Gallup has surveyed the Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journal- Health insurance is far from universal, Americans’ “most impor- ism, a program of the USC Annenberg Center especially for the poor. In North Carolina, tant concerns” since 1939. for Health Journalism’s 2020 National Fellow- more than 1 in 10 residents lack health insur- The survey became ship. ance. In 2018, 10.7% of residents – more than monthly in 2001. DonnaMarie Woodson owes her life to the 1 million people – were uncovered, which “It is not surprising that Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. was unchanged from the previous year, ac- voters overall rate the When her husband Kevan was laid off in cording to Census data. economy as the most im- 2008 from his corporate management job in North Carolina, one of 12 states that hasn’t portant issue impacting Minneapolis, Minnesota, they moved to Char- expanded Medicare access to the poor under their vote for president this lotte without health insurance at the height ACA, is ninth in the nation in terms of unin- year given the fragile state of the Great Recession. When ACA became sured. Blacks, who make up 22% of the state’s of the U.S. economy and law in 2010, they bought a federally subsi- population, account for 11% of uninsured, their tendency historically dized policy and five years later, its coverage outpacing whites, who are 70% of all res- to prioritize it and other is- paid for detection and treatment of Donna- idents but 9.6% of uninsured. Hispanics, who sues such as national secu- Marie’s colon and breast cancer. can be of any race, are 9.4% of residents but rity and education,” Gallup Without it, the prognosis would’ve been 30.3% of uninsured. pollsters observed. dire. Those disparities are reflected in poor In a June 4 Gallup survey, “Literally, it saved my life because immedi- health outcomes, especially during the coro- 19% of Americans named ately I was able to sign up,” Woodson said. “I navirus pandemic where low-income people race relations as the na- was at stage three colon cancer and [stage] are more likely to be exposed to infection as tion’s top problem in the four it has gone into your system and much front-line workers or live in communal con- aftermath of the police kill- harder to treat and your chances go way Please see BARRIERS | 2A ing of George Floyd in Min- Please see POCKETBOOK | 2A CMPD initiative aims to reduce, resolve conflicts through registry By Herbert L. White [email protected] Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police has a new tool to de- escalate interactions between law enforcement and civilians. ATRIUM HEALTH The department announced the launch of Safe Atrium Health struck an agreement to affiliate with Wake Forest Baptist and its medical school, Outcomes, a voluntary registry for vulnerable pop- ulations, such as people with physical which gives the Charlotte-based hospital chain access to a medical school. Wake Forest or mental limitations or disabilities like School of Medicine gains a second location in Charlotte. Alzheimer’s, autism, blindness and deafness. Details – which are kept con- fidential – such as address, contact in- Atrium, Wake Forest Baptist formation, a physical description and diagnosis or disability, are entered into a dispatch system. Special considera- and med school join forces tions including the method of com- Jennings By Liora Engel-Smith Salem based Wake Forest Baptist Med- munication, commonly worn clothing ical Center and its medical school. or times and suggestions on how to approach an in- and Rose Hoban SPECIAL TO THE POST Atrium gains a foothold in the Win- dividual and vehicle information can also be added. On the heels of a flurry of mergers, ston-Salem market and access to a “This program helps the Charlotte-Mecklenburg acquisitions and shifts in North Caro- medical school, something that Char- Police Department obtain critical information prior lina’s health care environment in re- lotte has lacked to date. The agree- to an emergency that assists in our response to calls cent months, two large systems have ment earns Wake Forest School of for service involving individuals who may have announced their intent to more Medicine a second medical school lo- health concerns,” CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said closely affiliate. cation in Charlotte. in a statement. “Preparing officers with the caller’s The Charlotte-based Atrium Health Atrium is in an unusual position; it has agreed to form a new “enterprise,” is a county authority, called the Char- Please see CMPD | 2A Atrium Health Inc. with the Winston- Please see ATRIUM | 2A INSIDE Please Digital edition: STAY IN TOUCH Sports 8A Snapchat: thecharpost www.thecharlottepostnewspaper.com Recycle Life 1B Twitter: @thecharpost A&E 8B To subscribe: (704) 376-0496 or online Facebook: The Charlotte Post Classified 7B http://tcppc.com/Subscribe Instagram: @thecharlottepost #PaperThursday 2A NEWS | The Charlotte Post Thursday, October 22, 2020 Barriers to care are CMPD initiative aims to many and persistent Continued from page 1A founder and co-chair of the Black Mater- reduce, resolve conflicts ditions. nal Health Caucus. “The Black Maternal “We still see that our African American Health Momnibus is a historic piece of Continued from page 1A spiraling out of control with infor- community is more impacted by this in- legislation that not only fills existing gaps health-related issues in advance of mation that allow officers to safely fection than whites, which is unfor- in maternal healthcare, but also works to that interaction will improve our re- de-escalate calls for people with tunately, what we are seeing with COVID,” address pervasive maternal health dis- sponse and make everyone involved medical or devel- Mecklenburg County Health Director Gib- parities through solutions that are cul- safer.” opmental disabil- bie Harris said. “It is just shining a very turally congruent and proven effective.” When 9-1-1 dispatchers receive a ities. On The Net bright light on the health issues Dr. Jerome Williams, senior vice call for service to an address reg- “An officer https://char- that we already know that we have president of consumer engagement istered with Safe Outcomes, the re- who has this in- lottenc.gov/C in our African American com- at Novant Health, contends greater sponding officer can respond based formation in ad- MPD/Safety/Pa munity. It's just exacerbated things. public awareness of gaps in access on the summary information. vance is better ges/Safe_Out- It's not new.” and treatment – what he calls social As national attention focuses on prepared to re- comes Those disparities are growing determinants of health – is driving use of force by law enforcement spond, get the indi- among children, too, especially for long-needed conversations among against unarmed civilians, CMPD of- vidual the help he or she requires youngsters who previously qual- the public, medical professionals ficials believe Safe Outcomes will re- and bring that interaction to a peace- ified for the Children’s Health In- Harris and political leaders. duce the chances of interactions ful resolution,” Jennings said. surance Program, who provides “What's different now I believe is low-cost coverage to kids from fam- that there's a greater awareness in ilies that earn too much money to the lay public about these factors qualify for Medicaid but not af- that are non-biological and non-ge- fluent enough to afford private in- netic,” he said. “And so, that's what surance. we're really seeing as a community. According to a study by the We have to show more empathy, Pocketbook issues most Georgetown University Health Pol- because some have privilege, and icy Institute, 5.8% of North Carolina some do not.” minors – 142,000 – were uninsured Williams That also means taking a proac- in 2019 compared to 4.7% or 115,000 in tive approach to breaking down long-held important to 2020 voters 2016, the nation’s sixth-largest increase.