Jun 1, 2023 - Health
How car access impacts health access in the Twin Cities
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Black households in the Twin Cities are four times more likely to be carless than their white counterparts, with more than 20% reporting that they don't have a vehicle, per the National Equity Atlas.
Why it matters: Cars can help people get to jobs, groceries and other commitments. But they're also a key driver of access to health care, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim reports.
- More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transportation missed or skipped a medical appointment in the previous year, according to a new study.
Between the lines: Gov. Tim Walz cited challenges Minnesotans without cars face in getting to health appointments and other services as one reason for his recent veto of a hotly debated bill to raise wages and add other job protections for Uber and Lyft drivers.
- A number of local entities, including Dakota County and the Afghan Cultural Society, had raised concerns about the impact higher prices and service cutbacks would have on people who are unable to drive.