The recognized, despised, (but still open wide) disparity gap

I took a fellow pub health doc and a patient to Anacostia today to look at the Healthy Corner Store initiative at work & to see the environment that constitutes some part of the city. Life expectancy in DC from NW to SE can vary by as much as 10 years. That variance is primarily based on income and race.   No matter where you live, the "disease approach" to improving health outcomes is not working. Placing the health of communities solely in the hands of a system designed to only care for you once you are sick is nonsensical. Creating more value for prevention, & funding the right combination of social justice (not all healthcare) partners can create the force needed to disrupt the current mode of operation. It's time to deviate from paths that perpetuate poor outcomes. The ACA's a start, but our health is well beyond the purview of health insurance & the healthcare system.