State of Emergency: Sick and Tired

Medicaid Expansion is vital in providing healthcare to those in need.

Expanding Medicaid in Black communities has been proven to drastically increase the number of individuals with health insurance and reduce the uninsured population, providing greater access to primary health care and preventive services.

Black Voters Matter has launched the Sick and Tired Campaign to raise awareness around the current cost of healthcare and lack of access in our communities that has resulted from years of systemic racism. Access to healthcare is a fundamental right. Data shows that Medicaid expansion improves access to preventive care and even has positive economic effects, such as creating jobs and reducing uncompensated care costs.

Black communities face unique health needs in America, and in Southern states especially. The CDC only recently declared racism as a public health issue, but Black children and families in the United States have experienced the direct, indirect crisis, and intergenerational stressors, many of which have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, Southern states are in a state of emergency, as more and more rural hospitals close, leaving Black communities without adequate access to care.

“Black people radiate love and joy which has made our pain bearable and survivable, but we deserve to thrive and to live healthy, fulfilling lives,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter. “It’s time for action to protect our young people, mothers, and everyone in between. In the famous words of activist Fannie Lou Hamer, “We are sick and tired of being sick and tired.””

To learn more about the campaign, please visit blackvotersmatterfund.org/sickandtired.