This paper discusses how addressing the social determinants of health can decrease health disparities. The authors utilize a health policy framework to address social determinants of health in order to better population health, reduce health disparities, and lower costs. The authors discuss key issues, cost implications, and barriers to progress, and examine health care financing… Read more »
rwjf-tag: Role of government
Bachrach, D., Guyer, J., & Levin, A. (2016, July). Medicaid coverage of social interventions: A roadmap for states. New York, NY: Milbank Memorial Fund.
This issue brief is a practical guide for policymakers who want to know when and how states can use Medicaid to facilitate access to social services. It offers a road map of the legal authorities upon which policymakers can rely to extend Medicaid coverage to social interventions and provides examples of how Medicaid can be… Read more »
Paradise, J., & Ross, D.C. (2017, January). Linking Medicaid and supportive housing: Opportunities and on-the-ground examples. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
This issue brief outlines ways in which Medicaid can support integrated strategies and, based on telephone interviews with key informants, profiles three current initiatives that illustrate distinctly different approaches to linking Medicaid and supportive housing. The three initiatives include one launched by a city (Philadelphia), one by a state (Louisiana), and one by a Medicaid… Read more »
The Scan Foundation. (2017, October). Top 10 recommendations to strengthen integrated care: Lessons from California’s dual eligible demonstration. Long Beach, CA: Author.
This brief describes recommendations to integrate health and human services. These recommendations include: integrating medicaid/medicare into a single health plan has benefits for beneficiaries; health plans need to use all available information and tools at their disposal; affordable housing is key to transitioning people from healthcare settings to the community; value based payment efforts will… Read more »
Haber, S., Beil, H., Adamache, W., Amico, P., Beadles, C., Berzin, O., … Wright, A. (2017). Evaluation of the Maryland all-payer model. Waltham, MA: RTI International.
This report describes findings from the first 2 years of the evaluation of the All-Payer Model in Maryland. The report covers 2 1/2 years of the implementation of the All-PayerModel, focusing on the most recent year (July 2015–June 2016) and outcomes for 2 years for fee-forservice Medicare beneficiaries (January 2014– December 2015). The evaluation of… Read more »
Butler, S.M., Matthew, D.B, & Cabello, M. (2017, February 15). Re-balancing medical and social spending to promote health: Increasing state flexibility to improve health through housing [Web log post].
This analysis is part of The Leonard D. Schaeffer Initiative for Innovation in Health Policy, which is a partnership between the Center for Health Policy at Brookings and the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. The Initiative aims to inform the national health care debate with rigorous, evidence-based analysis leading to practical recommendations… Read more »
Gottlieb, L.M., Quinones-Rivera, A. Manchanda, R., Wing, H., & Ackerman, S. (2017). States’ influence on Medicaid investments to address patients’ social needs. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 52(1), 31-37.
Despite widespread interest in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) as a means to improve health and to reduce health care spending, little information is available about how to develop, sustain, and scale nonmedical interventions in diverse payer environments, including Medicaid Managed Care. This study aimed to explore how Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MMCO) leaders… Read more »
Gottlieb, L. Ackerman, S., Wing, H., & Manchanda, R. (2017). Understanding Medicaid managed care investments in members’ social determinants of health. Population Health Management, 20(4), 302-308.
This article examines Medicaid managed care investments in social determinants of health. Though interest in social determinants of health is widespread, but information about how to develop, sustain, and expand such efforts is scarce. While Managed Care Organizations are trying to make investments, several challenges exist including clinical integration, financing, sustainable funding, and regulatory constructs.
Rosenbaum, S., Riley, T., Bradley, A.L., Veghte, B.W., & Rosenthal, J. (2017). Strengthening Medicaid as a critical lever in building a culture of health. Washington, DC: National Academy of Social Insurance.
This report argues that Medicaid functions as a key economic engine, anchoring health care services in communities., and an important entry-point for human/social services. As Medicaid expands it gains leverage to direct changes in how healthcare services are delivered. Medicaid faces several challenges including: 1) poverty and an aging population; 2) cost of transformation; 3)… Read more »
Walker, B.J., & Fishman, T.D. (2015). Rethinking human services delivery: Using data-driven insights for transformational outcomes. Deloitte.
This report argues that human service programs should be redesigned to serve customer segments, rather than administer services. Data-programs should be transformed through analytics in order to identify and address the problems that bring individuals and families into contact with the social safety net instead of through the lens of eligibility that only provides a… Read more »
Rosenbaum, S., Gunsalus, R., Velasquez, M., Jones, S., Rothenberg, S., & Beckerman, J.Z. (2018, March). Medicaid payment and delivery reform: Insights from managed care plan leaders in Medicaid expansion states. Washington, DC: The Commonwealth Fund.
In this brief, the authors aim to understand MCO experiences in Medicaid expansion states and learn about innovations related to access to care, care delivery, payment, and integration of health and social services to address nonmedical needs. Through interviews with leaders of 17 Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in 10 states that have seen large Medicaid… Read more »
Kinding, D.A., & Milstein, B. (2018). A balanced investment portfolio for equitable health and well-being is an imperative, and within reach. Health Affairs, 37(4), 579-584.
This commentary argues that the US health investment portfolio is out of balance, with too much spent on certain aspects of health care and not enough spent to ensure social, economic, and environmental conditions that are vital to maintaining health and well-being. Opportunities and challenges involved in rebalancing investments in ways that would improve overall… Read more »
Beers, A., Spencer, A., Moses, K., & Hamblin A. (2018). Promoting better health beyond healthcare: State-level multi-sector actions for addressing the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact health. Hamilton, NJ: Center for Health Care Strategies.
This report explores the many ways that states are collaborating across agencies to improve population health while accomplishing reciprocal goals in areas like transportation and education. It provides important lessons on how cross-sector partnerships can successfully advance health outcomes through empowering local communities, facilitating cross-sector learning and collaboration, supporting data-sharing, and cultivating cross-sector leadership. A… Read more »
Garrett, D., Hwang, A., & Pierce-Wrobel, C. (2018, May 30). Social determinants of health: A public health concept in conflict [Web log post].
This post discusses Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ approval of states adding a work requirement as a condition of receiving Medicaid coverage, and the negative impact that is likely to have on citizens’ health outcomes. States are cautioned to be careful about implementing policies that may sound relevant to social determinants but will ultimately be… Read more »