Racial differences exist in hospital discharges against medical advice. Black patients are more likely to be discharged against medical advice compared to white patients. This disparity can be partially explained by differences in insurance status and hospital type between black and white patients. Specifically, black patients are more likely to have government insurance or be uninsured, and to receive care at nonprofit or public hospitals. However, when insurance status and hospital type are accounted for, race is no longer a significant predictor of discharging against medical advice. While the study had limitations due to unavailable variables, it provides insight into mechanisms behind observed racial disparities in this outcome.