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Integrating medical and social services: A pressing priority for health systems and payers

M.K. Abrams, D. Moulds
Health Affairs Blog

Dramatic changes in health care have propelled social service integration to the forefront of health policy and care delivery transformation discussions. The Affordable Care Act has expanded health insurance to millions of low- and modest-income Americans, many of whom have social, environmental, and behavioral concerns that often define their health. Additionally, the spread of alternative payment models—accountable care organizations (ACOs), bundled payments, components of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)—increasingly hold health care providers financially accountable for patients’ health and the cost of treatment. As a result of these trends, health care providers are keenly interested in exploring ways to integrate health and social services. For the first time, linking medical and nonmedical services can help providers meet their bottom line—it is no longer just an act of charity.

In light of these opportunities—the emerging evidence, evolving financial incentives, and lingering operational questions from health systems—the Commonwealth Fund has initiated an investment in projects to produce information that will help health care payers and providers connect medical and nonmedical interventions to reinforce their organization’s financial and quality of care goals.

Abrams MK, Moulds D. Integrating medical and social services: A pressing priority for health systems and payers. Health Affairs Blog. 2016. Available online.

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