About The Study: Between 2012 and 2022, premature mortality among adults ages 18 to 64 in the U.S. increased by over 27%. During this period, racial disparities in premature mortality widened substantially, with Black individuals experiencing persistently higher and worsening rates compared with white individuals across most states. These results raise concerns about structural inequities within the Medicare entitlement and financing system. Despite contributing to Medicare throughout their working lives, Black individuals in the U.S. are less likely to live long enough to reach the qualifying age for coverage.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Irene Papanicolas, PhD, email irene_papanicolas@brown.edu.
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(doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.4916)
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About JAMA Health Forum: JAMA Health Forum is an international, peer-reviewed, online, open access journal that addresses health policy and strategies affecting medicine, health and health care. The journal publishes original research, evidence-based reports and opinion about national and global health policy; innovative approaches to health care delivery; and health care economics, access, quality, safety, equity and reform. Its distribution will be solely digital and all content will be freely available for anyone to read.
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