In 2010, the Affordable Care Act made health insurance available to 80-90% of formerly incarcerated people who were previously ineligible and disproportionately Black. However, the $1 trillion Medicaid cuts in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has ripped it away, inflicting long-term harm.
For context, incarceration itself significantly shortens life expectancy. Prison healthcare systems are inadequate. But, even after release, finding healthcare is difficult for formerly incarcerated people, especially when it’s tied to employment. The nation’s unemployment rate is 4.2%, but 7.5% for Black Americans and 27% for formerly incarcerated people. And, many with jobs still can’t fulfill work requirements in Trump’s Big Ugly Shill.
Administrator for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz says these requirements facilitate “agency” and help the government fight “waste, fraud, and abuse.” However, these changes pose barriers for both civilians and the state. Georgia demonstrated this with its Pathways program. States that expanded Medicaid have also reported 16% lower recidivism rates. Ultimately, Medicaid cuts cause not just more deaths, but more crime.
Formerly incarcerated Black Americans are more likely to be reincarcerated. More likely to be disabled. More likely to face barriers once released. And more likely to experience discrimination within a system that has intentionally deprived Black Americans of healthcare. These histories exclude us all from universal healthcare.
While Trump-powered copaganda in D.C. and other Black cities targets Black residents to “fight crime,” the president is facilitating more crime. We need to move forward, not back.