Kyeland Jackson on the impact of the federal Estate Recovery program in Minnesota

Medical assistance is meant to be a safety net for low-income Minnesotans, but a widespread federal program called Estate Recovery allows counties to lay claim to property as payment for what the state spent in medical costs. It’s leaving some Minnesotans in trouble — beholden to hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, or else at risk of losing their family home. Some loopholes mean not everyone has to pay it — often just those who are most vulnerable.

Twin Cities PBS Data Reporter Kyeland Jackson recently did some digging into the federal program and its impacts here in Minnesota. He joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about what he learned.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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