Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Yet in Trenton and across Mercer County, too many of our families are forced to make impossible choices between seeking medical care and keeping food on the table. The soaring cost of hospital care—driven by unchecked pricing and a lack of transparency—is devastating our communities, especially Black, Brown, and low-income residents. As President of the Trenton NAACP, I see firsthand how this crisis deepens existing racial and economic disparities in our city. Our healthcare system is failing us, and it is failing us the hardest. The time for action is now. The Burden of High Healthcare Costs in Trenton The numbers don’t lie: Black residents in New Jersey are twice as likely to be uninsured as White residents. Hispanic and Latinx residents are over six times more likely to lack insurance. Even those with coverage through their jobs struggle with high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, often delaying care or rationing prescriptions just to get by. In Trenton and throughout Mercer County, where Black and Brown communities already face higher rates of chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension, the consequences of unaffordable healthcare are deadly. When people are forced to skip doctor visits due to cost, minor health issues turn into major crises. Preventable complications, emergency room visits, and even premature deaths are the tragic results of a system that prioritizes profits over people. A Legacy of Discrimination in Healthcare Black Americans have every reason to distrust our healthcare system. From the Tuskegee experiments to high maternal mortality rates, to the persistent racial bias in medical treatment, our community has been subjected to generations of neglect and abuse. Today, that injustice continues in the form of exorbitant hospital bills and a lack of transparency that keeps patients in the dark until it is too late. More than half of Black New Jerseyans are very worried about medical bills and the overall cost of healthcare. Another study revealed that 54% of Black respondents had gone without needed care in the past year due to cost. These are not just statistics—they are the stories of our neighbors, our loved ones, and our community members. Demanding Accountability and Action Healthcare affordability is a civil rights issue. We need real accountability for hospitals, stronger transparency measures, and an independent watchdog to ensure price increases are fair and justified. We must demand legislative action to rein in these costs and protect families in Trenton from financial devastation. By addressing these rising prices, we can lower insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, making healthcare accessible for all, especially the most vulnerable among us. This is not a problem we can afford to ignore. If you or someone you love has ever hesitated to see a doctor because of the cost, or stretched a prescription because you couldn’t afford a refill, you have a stake in this fight. I urge you to call your state legislators and demand action on this critical issue. The time for half-measures and empty promises is over. The Trenton NAACP stands firm: our city deserves a healthcare system that works for us, not against us. We will fight until we get it. Austin J. Edwards, Esq. is the President of the Trenton Branch of the NAACP. ...read more read less