One of the hardest things that I have ever done was to leave my family practice of 21 years and my patients to enter the world of national politics. I practiced pretty much full-time, right up to winning my primary.

However, I left with a commitment to make a difference in the health care and health status of communities like mine which have long suffered from the impact of health inequities. It has been my main focus since coming to Washington.

In a country of plenty such as ours -- one founded on principles of equality and justice -- that African-Americans and Native Americans in particular, but all people of color in general, suffer disproportionately from disease and die in excess numbers prematurely from preventable causes is inexcusable and unacceptable.

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In addition to the health impact of health disparities, there also is a cost to everyone from the existence of these and other disparities.  In fact, a study launched by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that the three-year estimate of the direct and indirect medical costs of health disparities was $1.24 trillion.

Read more at The Huffington Post.