Our quick take

• The Medicare Advantage and Part D policy for 2019 coverage reflects a substantial commitment by CMS to reinforce SDOH as a core component of medical care, allowing plans to apply non-clinical benefits to address social needs therefore offering a no-regrets approach to potentially lowering costs and improving quality of care.
• Targeting social needs such as language barriers, housing, and financial hardship have the strongest impact on cost, utilization, quality, access, and patient satisfaction.
• Comparatively, programs targeting transportation and health literacy have shown more limited impact on outcomes, but still receive funding given the relatively low upfront investment and simplicity of available solutions, such as ridesharing and health infographics.

Questions for your next team meeting

1. Which social determinant of health is most relevant and impactful among our membership?
2. How are we identifying which members (rising and high-risk) would benefit from social needs support to administer these services equitably?
3. How will we measure the ROI of investments in SDOH and what metrics should we start tracking now to assess and effectively communicate the program’s impact?