Report Highlights Disparities in Health Care Outcomes for Native Americans in Washington State

A health system performance scorecard shows consistent health disparities for Native Americans in Washington State compared to white residents, reports Oregon Public Broadcasting. The report from The Commonwealth Fund found that American Indian/Alaska Native people experienced the lowest health system performance in the state. A separate regional dataset shows higher rates of death before 75 from preventable and treatable causes, and higher rates of death from diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and opioid-related issues. Nearly 20 percent of Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington lack supplemental insurance beyond the Indian Health Service, which is chronically underfunded.