Black people in NJ twice as likely to die of treatable causes than white patients. Why?

Despite a world-class health care system that has turned its focus in recent years to bridging inequalities, New Jersey has more severe racial and ethnic disparities than other states in the region, a report released Thursday found. The report by The Commonwealth Fund showed Black residents in the Garden State are twice as likely to die from preventable causes before age 75 as white residents, and Hispanic residents were six times more likely to be uninsured. “Even in high-performing states, we see significant disparities,” said Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of The Commonwealth Fund. “This report demonstrates that if you don’t look under the hood, you won’t identify where you are failing people, and where you are leaving people behind.” The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based research firm, measured health care outcomes, access and quality by race and ethnicity for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It looked at data from two dozen indicators, including preventable deaths, infant mortality, insurance rates, and cancer screenings. What’s the cost of health care?Shore-area hospital price lists shrouded in secrecy, leaving consumers flying blind The study came as New Jersey policymakers and its biggest health care systems have tried to expand access to...