We all get that staying healthy is important for you and your family. It also affects society as a whole. Healthy populations have better economies and benefit from more job opportunities and growth. In short, higher levels of education = better health.
Education deepens knowledge, inspires confidence, and equips people with the necessary skills to make money and pay for healthy lifestyles. People with a high school diploma have fewer chronic health conditions than those without. People who don’t finish high school risk living 5 years less than those with a college degree.
Adding to that fact, over the past 20 years and even now, unemployment is 2x higher for adults without a high school diploma, compared to those with an associate or college degree. [Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics].
During the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment soared as high as 21% for adults without a high school diploma, compared to 8% for college graduates at the peak in April 2020. [Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]
All this to say that achieving a high school credential is life-changing. The GED can open doors to further education and higher-paying, more stable jobs, even during times of crisis.
There are many ways you can take direct action through education to encourage healthy behaviors and improve health outcomes throughout life. A high school equivalency diploma is a great starting point. You may even be able to get your GED for free thanks to select employers and health plans that participate in GEDWorks™.
GEDWorks is a program for health plan providers and employers to provide the benefit of obtaining a GED at little or no cost to members or employees.
For members of Minnesota-based healthcare plan provider UCare, the GED is a pathway to improve their lives. Flexible education benefits like GEDWorks provide the opportunity to earn a high school credential at any stage of life. GED grad Cassie F. reflects on her experience with GEDWorks as a health plan benefit through UCare:
“It was really cool that my insurance helped me get an education. I’d never heard of such an opportunity before. The program was awesome.”
Over 4,000 GEDWorks participants are now proud GED grads. The student journey to success includes tailored prep with dedicated advisors and flexible scheduling. Many GEDWorks students are essential workers, for whom remote preparation and online testing make passing the test possible.
Register at GED.com to see if your company or health care provider offers GEDWorks.
