Minnesota has plenty of jobs, but health insurance? No
Back in 2013, when
The result is that, despite the strongest economy in a generation, roughly 1 in 5 Minnesotans qualify for subsidized health coverage.
That economic puzzle was compounded this month when the state released its latest budget forecast. It predicts that Medicaid growth will decelerate starting in 2019, the first sign of a slowdown since the Great Recession, but says total enrollment will not shrink in the next five years.
One reason for the program's growth is that
But a second explanation is that, despite the sinking jobless rate, it is still a stubborn economy with respect to wage growth and employer health benefits, leaving many workers eligible for state health insurance.
"If history is any guide, we certainly should be seeing more rapid wage growth than we have been," said
Some of the fastest growing sectors of the
Single adults like Brown must make less than
"We make people feel ashamed that they are on some kind of assistance," she said. "But they are not paying enough on these jobs for people to afford private insurance. I don't feel ashamed, because I know it helps me."
Even though many uninsured Americans are young and healthy, research has shown that having coverage increases the chance that people will get regular medical care and preventive services.
"Health insurance is so important because there are so many [people] that go untreated," said Brown, who relies on the insurance for medications and mental health therapy visits.
The percentage of
But in 2017, according to a
Nationwide, 60 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries who are not elderly or disabled are employed -- and 42 percent work full-time, according to the
Even in a strong economy, Medicaid remains an option for many in the workforce. One
The company serves some multistate employers, such as nursing homes, as well as those who work in the gig economy, such as Uber drivers. Four of its national clients have operations in
The trend is not lost on public officials in
"Do I think large employers should provide access to quality health care and benefits to their employees? Absolutely," said
One industry pulling back on coverage is health care.
Employees "are working full-time hours, but they are not eligible for benefits," said
"We are working to have their official positions upgraded to be benefit eligible," but it has been an uphill battle, Gulley said.
One of the fastest-growing jobs is in home health care, but those positions typically pay about
"You could be a home care worker and work full time for a year and still be under
To be eligible for Medicaid, single adults must earn less than
At higher income levels, children in families can qualify for Medicaid even if their parents can't. A family of four making less than
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