Farmworkers who spend their summers in Iowa often come from southern states such as Texas, with employers like Monsanto, whose migrant season is from June to October. The peak is in June and July during which more workers are needed.

Health insurance coverage for migrant workers who are U.S. citizens with Medicare transfers no matter the state in which a patient resides. But U.S. citizen workers with low incomes, and with Medicaid coverage, have limited access to health insurance while moving from state to state because Medicaid is not portable. Rather, the federal government partners with individual states, each of which has its own Medicaid rules for enrollment and portability.

Amid challenges to accessing health care, organizations across the country work to help provide care to farmworkers, with or without insurance. Proteus is the main health care provider for Iowa’s migrant farmworkers who do not have insurance. It has offices in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Fort Dodge, as well as in Nebraska, where doctors and other medical professionals often hold clinics after work hours to accommodate migrant workers who cannot afford to visit medical professionals during the day.

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