Community Leaders Take On Pierce County’s Health Disparities

New Council of Faith, Community Leaders Looks at Why Pierce County Lags in Health Indicators – and How to Overcome Challenges to Our Healthcare System

TACOMA – If you live in Pierce County, statistics show you’re likely to die 6 years earlier than someone living in King County.  That’s why a room packed with nearly 100 leaders from faith, immigrant, and community organizations gathered on Tuesday night to examine what’s wrong with our system and how we can fix it.

“Those six years are real years off your life, something you cannot put a price tag on,” said University of Puget Sound Professor and community leader Dexter Gordon. “Many factors affect life expectancy and health care is one of the most important. Because of this fact, we are seeking to create an integrated community organization to tackle lagging health care concerns in Pierce county,” Gordon said.

Studies have shown that residents in Pierce County are paying significantly more for the same healthcare services as patients across the state, yet the outcomes in Pierce County are below state standards.  Despite the best efforts of local organizations to sign residents up for Medicaid expansion and other insurance under the Affordable Care Act, patients in Pierce County still have lower rates of insurance.  Many patients testify to carrying crippling medical debt.

“We want to unravel inequities in our system and work toward a health system that treats all patients with respect and gives patients the care we need regardless of income, immigrant status, race, language spoken, or any other factor, said Rev. Dr. Arthur Banks of Eastside Baptist Church.

Organizations gathered in Tacoma on Tuesday night heard testimony from patients, caregivers, and community leaders to the devastating impact that these health disparities have.  Leaders committed to look deeper into the causes of the disparities and work with area healthcare providers – specifically MultiCare and CHI Franciscan- to ask their help in unraveling these life-threatening problems.

The group will meet again monthly and vows to take action to improve community health.

###

The Pierce County Community Health Alliance is community, faith, immigrant, and labor organizations standing together to address health disparities in Pierce County.