By Candrese Jones
Cervical Cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if detected early. No one should die from this disease, however, an estimated 4,360 women in the United States died from cervical cancer in 2024. In Mississippi, Black women are almost one and a half times more likely to die of the disease than White women, with disparities increasing at alarming rates as they age.
As one of nine Community-Based Researchers with the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (SRBWI) and Human Rights Watch, I conducted 21 interviews with Black women from Bolivar County about their experiences accessing reproductive healthcare, as well as their knowledge about the cervical cancer disease and prevention. One interview I continue to revisit in my mind was with Renee N. (pseudonym), who recounted her tragic tale about her difficulties paying for critically reproductive healthcare services.
Renee went without it for five years. As a working woman, she made too much for Medicaid and the health care expenses were too high. As one may imagine she faced difficult choices between paying for medical care or covering essential household expenses. As a result during her time without insurance, she missed some of the signs of complications with her reproductive health. This later led to a complete hysterectomy. Despite now having insurance, she was unable to afford follow-up appointments and co-pays. Her insurance only covered certain treatments and tests – and the high cost of medicine and the high deductible were also problematic.
Renee’s story reflects the widespread struggles of many women, and is included in “No Excuse: Inadequate Cervical Cancer Prevention and Care for Black Women in the United States Mississippi Delta,” a report published by SRBWI and Human Rights Watch. Even women like Renee –who have insurance– find themselves burdened by copayments, high premiums and uncovered medical expenses. Many don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, and struggle to afford the care they need. The issue isn’t just a lack of coverage—it’s the cost of maintaining care as in the case of Renee, and the gap in available resources for working women.
The invisible burden
The interviewee highlighted a stark reality: the hardship of paying copayments every time she visited the doctor. These small but significant payments add up, creating financial strain for many. She described how she avoided necessary treatments and check-ups simply because she couldn’t afford them. At times, she had to choose between buying groceries or paying her light bill just to cover her healthcare costs.
Even when programs do exist—like the hypertension program Renee participated in—there’s a significant lack of awareness about other programs that could assist women, particularly when it comes to reproductive health. Renee had no idea of any resources that could have helped her manage her medical expenses, leaving her to forgo critical follow-up healthcare she needed.
Expanding access and awareness
It’s time to address the healthcare gap that working women like this interviewee face. There’s no excuse. These working women aren’t poor enough to qualify for government programs like Medicaid, but they aren’t wealthy enough to comfortably afford the cost of critically needed medical services. We need to increase awareness of and access to programs such as the Mississippi Breast and Cervical Cancer program that provides financial assistance for reproductive health care and other medical services.
Too many women are unaware of the resources that could help them—resources that could potentially save lives by preventing medical conditions from going untreated. Every county and state should have accessible, well-publicized information on programs that can provide financial relief for reproductive healthcare costs.
Working women are falling through the cracks of our healthcare system. We must act now to close this gap, ensuring they don’t have to choose between their health and their basic needs.
This article was originally published by American Forum.