Farmers now owe a lot more for health insurance

By Sarah Boden 
and Drew Hawkins
KFF Health News,
Gulf States Newsroom

Last year was a tough one for farmers. Amid falling prices for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans, rising input costs for supplies like fertilizer and seeds, as well as the Trump tariffs and the dismantling of USAID, many farms weren’t profitable last year. And now, the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that many Americans, including farmers, relied on to purchase health insurance are gone, having expired at the end of December.

A Gamble for Farmers
Farming is dangerous work. Agricultural workers spend much of their time outside and exposed to the elements. Many of their duties can lead to injury or illness. They drive and operate heavy machinery, work with toxic chemicals, and handle large animals.
The rate of work-related deaths for farmers is seven times the national average.
The financial toll of non-fatal farm injuries is also significant. 

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