Healthcare costs for families in the U.S. have nearly tripled since 2005, and Black families are shouldering an outsized portion of that burden. With premiums and out-of-pocket expenses rising, the strain on household budgets is deepening health disparities across racial and ethnic lines.
Black and Hispanic families with employer-sponsored insurance pay a larger share of their wages toward healthcare premiums than white families. For many, that means less money available for essentials like rent and food, while also contributing to long-standing wage and earnings gaps. Limited access to employer-sponsored plans and lower household incomes further restrict options for affordable coverage.
The problem doesn’t end with insurance. Preventive services, often promoted as free under federal law, are not always accessible. Patients from minority backgrounds are more likely to have these services denied by insurance carriers, forcing them to delay care or pay out-of-pocket for screenings that should be routine.
Black workers are also more likely to hold jobs that don’t offer health insurance or only provide limited plans with high deductibles. This forces many to depend on the Affordable Care Act marketplace or Medicaid, which, while helpful, still leave families with difficult financial choices.
Healthcare inflation continues to rise faster than wages, but its impact is not evenly distributed. Black families are paying more, getting less, and losing ground in the fight for equitable care.
See “As Health Care Costs Triple, Black Families Pay Even More” (June 5, 2025)
