Employer health coverage eats up nearly one-tenth of a typical family's income in both Kansas and Missouri, with Kansas households facing a slightly heavier burden, a new Commonwealth Fund study shows.

The big picture: Kansas City spans two states where identical employer coverage can carry different financial burdens depending on state income levels.

Zoom in: The study considers 5% or more of income spent on single-plan deductibles a marker of underinsurance risk because it can force families to weigh routine care against other household bills.

• In Kansas, single-plan deductibles average 5.5% of median individual income. In Missouri, they average 5.4%.
• For total family costs, premium contributions plus deductibles, Kansas families devote 9.9% of median income, while Missouri families devote 9.6%.

Zoom out: Nationally, single coverage deductibles ranged from 1.8% of median individual income in Washington, D.C., to 6.4% in Kentucky.

• For total family costs, 19 states exceeded 10% of median household income. The highest burden reached 15.6% in Louisiana.

State of play: Deductibles alone can push families to delay care even when they have insurance, according to the Commonwealth Fund, and both Kansas and Missouri land in the higher-cost half of states.

What's next

What began as a healthy alternative to soul food in Kansas City's East Side has become a hub for community building and longevity.

Why it matters: We're continuing our February spotlight on Black-owned businesses with a look at Ruby Jean's Juicery, a local cold-pressed juice company with nationwide reach.

Zoom in: Chris Goode, founder of Ruby Jean's, named the business after his grandmother, whom he believes would have lived longer with a healthier diet.

• "I wanted to make a place that felt, and actually was, healing," Goode tells Axios, adding that he wants to change the stereotype that an "area like this can only support barbecue."

Catch up quick: The business opened in 2015 and moved its main store and kitchen to 3000 Troost Ave. in 2017. Its second location, inside the Whole Foods at 301 E. 51st St. in KCMO, opened in 2019.

• Goode says the partnership with Whole Foods has led to expanded distribution in the last two years.

How it works: Goode says the company uses high-pressure processing, which kills bacteria, to extend juice shelf life to 150 days without any additives or heat.

What they're saying: Goode says his "north star is longevity." He doesn't want people's life expectancy to be determined by the ZIP code where they live.

To that effect, Ruby Jean's Foundation provides free juice to kids, picks up trash, and operates a community garden.

• Goode, who is running for City Council in 2027 in the 3rd District, says juice is the vehicle for effecting larger change in the community.

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🤖 Kansas City-based law firm Stinson LLP is rolling out a legal-specific AI platform called Harvey firmwide after piloting it with about 100 attorneys last fall. The tool helps with drafting, research and contract analysis. (Kansas City Business Journal)

🌊 Legacy Lake in Lee's Summit has lost about a third of its volume to sediment buildup from surrounding development, and a $1.8 million dredging project aims to restore it. (Kansas City Star)

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the longtime civil rights leader who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and later ran for president twice, died yesterday at 84, his family said.

The big picture: Jackson helped carry the civil rights movement into national politics, pushing corporations and presidential candidates to confront racial and economic inequality.

• Jackson founded Operation PUSH, now the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and ran for president in the 1980s as the first Black candidate to run a nationwide campaign in a major party primary.

What they're saying: "Rev. Jesse Jackson stood at the forefront of the struggle for justice, equality, and human dignity," U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II said in a statement. "In Kansas City, and across this nation, we felt the impact."

World Cup organizers have unveiled Fan Fest dates and themes and are asking those planning a visit to register in advance.

Why it matters: Outside the stadium, Fan Fest will be Kansas City's largest World Cup gathering, designed to hold up to 25,000 people at once.

The big picture: Programming will span 18 days, including the matches in KC, with themes meant to appeal to everyone:

• Heartland Hello, June 11–14 and June 16: Consider this KC's official welcome with food and our patented "Midwest nice."
• Sports Town USA, June 19-21: Organizers will work with our local teams to highlight their successes.
• The World's Game, June 24-27: Focusing on global traditions, colors and rhythms.
• Home Team, July 3-5: Expect Fourth of July celebrations. We hope there will be hot dogs.
• KC Creates, July 9-11: Celebrating regional artists with interactive elements.

What they're saying: KC2026 chief executive Pam Kramer says they want to distribute the economic impact of the tournament to other parts of the metro.

• Kramer teased potential watch parties at Sporting Park, the Northland, Lee's Summit and Johnson County.
• She noted that June 17, the day England enters the tournament, will be a day Fan Fest is closed.

How it works: People wanting to visit Fan Fest should register their interest now on the KC2026 website, organizers say.

• Registration to get inside the gates will open in a few weeks, they say. Attendance will be free.
• The World War I Museum and Memorial's south lawn, the location of the fest, will be closed on off-days.

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