Why Newark — and New Jersey — needs Medicare for all | Opinion

Earlier this month, Newark joined more than 100 other localities across the U.S. in passing a unanimous City Council resolution in support of Medicare for All. As the mayor of Newark, I believe that federal action to guarantee health care for all our residents is long overdue. Our health is one of our most precious resources and must be protected.

That’s why I have made Medicare for All one of my policy priorities. Even as New Jersey raises health care premiums by 20% for public workers and retirees, Newark switched its health insurance coverage, reducing costs to $57 million with a maximum cap of $72 million. At least 31 municipalities and school boards have informed the New Jersey state government that they have followed our lead in leaving the state plan.

Newark is not alone in declaring support for Medicare for All. Other municipalities in New Jersey have passed Medicare for All resolutions. Local government leaders see Medicare for All as a fiscally responsible policy as workforces age and health care costs continue to skyrocket. Universal health care would create better health outcomes, at significantly lower costs. That’s a win for families, communities, and municipal, county and state governments.

In Newark, our initiatives, policies, and legislation are centered on the needs of our residents, and we maintain a focus on equity. While the Affordable Care Act made a positive contribution toward providing more of our residents with insurance, a quick look at statistics shows an urgent need for ambitious reform. No longer can we continue to allow individuals to go without adequate health care.

Medicare for All is a key policy to address racial and other inequities in health care.

In New Jersey, we have the fourth highest rate of maternal mortality in the country. Black New Jersey residents are twice as likely to be uninsured (at 7.5%) as white residents, while Black infants are twice as likely to be born with low birth weights. Additionally, New Jersey’s immigrant communities are the least likely to be insured. Medicare for All would improve and unlock access to proper health care to these communities as our current health care system does not properly address these disparities.

Nearly 20% of Newark residents under 65 do not have health insurance. We know that this disadvantage starts at birth: a shocking 5.8% of children in Essex County were uninsured before the pandemic hit. Some 17% of Hispanic and Latinx residents in our state are uninsured and New Jerseyans with lower incomes are three times more likely to be uninsured in comparison to middle-income residents. Residents with less than a high school diploma are eight times more likely to be uninsured than those with a bachelor’s degree.

And this is why mayors and other municipal leaders have to speak out on the urgency of federal solutions like Medicare for All. We must act swiftly, as our current health care system holds us back from our duty to serve our constituents. The weight of medical debt crushes many families in Newark and around the country, with a shocking 38% of Americans delaying care due to cost.

The majority of people in New Jersey support expanding Medicare coverage to every U.S. resident, regardless of age or employment status. Therefore, it is not just good policy: it’s the only humane policy on the table when it comes to health care.

Medicare for All is not only fiscally responsible — it is morally right. It represents policy that is people-centered and driven. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that everyone is provided with proper health care. We must work to build toward a country where every person is provided health care regardless of their ZIP code, class and economic status.

The passing of the City Council’s resolution endorsing Medicare for All affirms our stance and makes clear: Newark will always work to advance the quality of life of its residents — and having affordable and adequate health care is critical to our community and the state of New Jersey.

Ras J. Baraka is mayor of Newark.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Newark NJ Mayor Ras Baraka Medicare for All