Innovative Minnesota health plan offering members a second chance

UCare, a community-based health plan serving more than 300,000 Medicaid and MinnesotaCare members, is partnering with GED Testing Service to help form a new path to continuing education—at no cost to workers—by including GED preparation and testing as a benefit in their health coverage. Why is this initiative so important at this moment?

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again across the country and right here in Minnesota. Many of our favorite local businesses and large employers are working at limited capacity with reduced staffing levels. Millions of unemployed workers are sidelined, waiting for the economy to recover and jobs to return.

But unlike in past economic downturns, remote learning opportunities are more readily accessible and can position unemployed and underemployed workers to reset their career, gain credentials, and/or add skills during the recovery.

Unemployed workers, including those who never completed their high school education, are among the groups hardest hit in economic downturns. An analysis conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that one in 25 people with only a high-school diploma or less was unemployed in February of 2020, and just a few months later in May, it was one in five. In Minnesota, and like most states, those without a high-school diploma or equivalency are struggling to find and keep jobs, averaging about $9,000 less in yearly earnings.

The opportunity presented by UCare to earn a high school equivalency diploma now will help make residents more competitive when the job market improves. We want Minnesotans looking to secure their high school equivalency (GED) diploma to know that they may have a special opportunity to participate in an innovative education program available through their health plan. GED Testing Service is the creator of the official GED test and is a joint venture between the American Council on Education and Pearson.

While this benefit first became available in 2019 before the pandemic disrupted our lives, it is more important than ever before. UCare and GEDWorks, a program to help working adults earn their high school equivalency, partnered on a first-of-its-kind program, where UCare Medicaid and MinnesotaCare members, regardless of employment status, can take advantage of preparing for and earning their GED credential at no-cost.

This educational offering is one part of UCare’s larger initiative for its members’ comprehensive health and wellness support. The pilot program is available to Minnesota residents across 21 Minnesota counties, including Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur, Faribault, Brown and St. Louis, and there are plans to expand across the state by the end of this year.

To date, GEDWorks partners—companies like Scholastic, Walmart, and Taco Bell—have helped over 4,400 adults across the country, including 21 UCare members, to earn their GED credentials successfully. Equipped with a GED credential, graduates have secured better-paying jobs and often pursued college and career training programs. Those who have successfully earned their GED through the UCare partnership completed the program in just 93 days—about half the time of a normal GED completion. Students participating in the program have access to personal advisors, free English or Spanish study materials and free GED tests.

One UCare member enrolled in the GEDWorks program we are very proud of is Chuck C., who learned about the program through an email from UCare. The timing was perfect for Chuck because he was looking for a new job during the pandemic. He had left high school without graduating when his mother passed away and did not obtain his credential after previously taking the GED test. After learning this opportunity was free, he decided to go for it. Chuck is now a proud GED graduate excited about applying for jobs with his credential.

Education levels and employment are intrinsically linked to good health. According to research, high school graduates reported lower levels of chronic health conditions compared to non-graduates. Percentage differences were particularly noticeable in terms of diabetes (6.23 % for graduates versus 11.18 % for non-graduates) and heart disease (3.90 % for graduates versus 6.17 % for non-graduates). UCare is one health plan that recognizes the importance of investing in its members' long-term health and economic outcomes.

As companies continue to look for more specialized talent, there will be a need for more adults to increase their level of education. And with more on their way to becoming graduates, UCare is a step ahead in giving individuals a second chance at continuing their education to better their lives.

At a time when people are looking for solutions and new work opportunities, we want more Minnesotans to explore this option and spread the word to any friends and family who may benefit.