Understanding racial bias in health using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data

Racial and ethnic disparities in access to healthcare in the United States is well-known and documented [1]. Health disparities are defined to be differences in health ou tcomes and causes among different groups of people. Health equity is achieved when everyone has the same opportunity to be as healthy as possible. We have a very good handle on the types of health disparities i n the US healthcare system, but the causes for these disparities are complex [2, 3] - such as inco me, education, socioeconomic conditions, neighborhood and community influence, public policy, and so cietal structure. Achieving health equity also necessitates a complex set of programs and interventions, a nd several public and private initiatives have tried to address this problem over the past decades.