On my block: The impact of community resources on health outcomes and medical spending

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more apparent than ever that community resources — such as access to food, safe and affordable housing, and green space — are critically important to people’s ability to stay healthy. There is heightened recognition that structural-level disparities existing across communities influence who becomes sick, who is able to social distance, and who has access to testing and treatment. Yet although it is generally recognized that where people live has serious consequences on their health outcomes, payers have not had clear financial incentives to invest in communities, largely because of questions around long-term return-on-investment.