Unequal access to health care is having a hefty financial impact on Harris County’s economy, new report says – Houston Public Media

Miguel Gutierrez Jr / KUT A lack of access to affordable health care among groups of Harris County residents is having a massive financial impact on the county’s economy, according to a new report. The report, conducted by researchers at Altarum, found that growing disparities in healthcare access and affordability in Harris County — the state’s largest county in population size and economic burden — cost the county nearly $1.7 billion in 2020. Researchers say these disparities caused thousands of people to die prematurely, resulting in more than 99,000 years of loss of life, according to the report. “The purpose…