In the US, a person’s home zip code is an effective predictor of life expectancy. A difference of just a few miles between one code and another often translates into years added or shaved off a life. That reality is just one indicator of healthcare inequity throughout the country. Many organizations have compiled alarming statistics: The maternal mortality rate for Black women is four times greater than that for non-Hispanic White women. Hispanic women are 20 times more likely to die from cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. And the list of disparate health outcomes goes on, across a range of chronic conditions, from asthma to stroke.

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