Healthcare & Benefits

Dr. Wright: Employment is a health issue because stable work can affect whether people are able to meet basic needs, maintain routines and manage their care. Income influences access to housing, food, transportation, childcare and medical appointments. When work is unstable, those supports can become harder to maintain.

As a physician and health care executive, I have seen how employment can affect a person’s ability to manage their health and maintain stability. The effects are not only financial. Unemployment and financial uncertainty can also affect mental and behavioral health, particularly when people lack the support needed to navigate those challenges.

We see that connection throughout the health care system. Job loss or long-term unemployment can contribute to missed care, unmanaged chronic conditions, stress and greater use of urgent or emergency services. For Indiana, workforce participation is not only an economic measure. It is also connected to household stability, community health and the long-term demand placed on public programs such as Medicaid.

Dr. Wright: Managed care entities see the effects of workforce barriers in the everyday necessities that affect our members’ health. Challenges related to transportation, housing, food access, childcare and employment can affect whether people are able to access care, follow treatment plans and maintain stability. Those factors can ultimately influence health outcomes, utilization patterns and long-term costs.

Addressing those barriers is one way to support better outcomes and a more sustainable Medicaid program.

CareSource JobConnect applies that idea by connecting participating Medicaid members with coaching and support as they pursue employment. The goal is not just job placement but helping members build stability that can carry over into their health, finances and long-term independence.

An analysis from Health Management Associates, an independent national health care research firm, found that among CareSource JobConnect participants in Indiana who secured jobs in 2024, an estimated 75% transitioned off Medicaid because of increased earnings, creating savings for the Family and Social Services Administration. In total, JobConnect generated more than $3.5 million in wages, tax credits and food and housing benefits for Indiana participants

that year.

The economic effect extended beyond individual households. According to the analysis, participants who gained employment spent earnings at local businesses, including grocery stores, restaurants, retailers and nonprofit organizations. That spending generated more than $8 million in new revenue for Indiana’s economy in 2024 and represented a 12:1 return on investment for Indiana participants and communities.

Dr. Wright: Beyond health care utilization, the results suggest that employment support can influence economic and health stability at both the household and community level.

The HMA study showed that Indiana participants in CareSource JobConnect from 2021 to 2025 experienced a 20% decrease in hospital admissions and an 11% reduction in avoidable emergency department visits. That’s an important shift toward preventative care and away from those more costly outcomes.

The data is important, but it also reflects people like Sam, who came to CareSource JobConnect looking for a more stable path forward. With coaching and help working through barriers, he was able to prepare for employment and take steps toward a steadier income and greater independence.

Dr. Wright: The message I want to leave you with is that health is shaped by the conditions in which people live and work. Stable employment can support better health, greater financial security and stronger communities.

For policymakers, employers and health care leaders, the question is not whether employment affects health. The question is how organizations can work together to address barriers that make it harder for people to participate in the workforce and maintain stability. Employers, health plans, community organizations and state agencies all have a role to play.

For someone like Sam, that can mean greater independence. For Indiana, it can contribute to healthier communities and a more sustainable Medicaid program.