John Gorman Discusses the Use of Opportunity Zones to Address Social Determinants (October 21st)
www.thehealthcarepolicypodcast.com
Listen Now The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the social determinants of health (SDOH) - generally defined as health access and quality, education, economic circumstances, food security, social conditions and environmental factors. It is estimated SDOH determine as much as 60% of one's health status, whereas formal medical care accounts for just 10%. Concerning economic circumstances, forty years of wage stagnation among lower income workers has left 45% of Americans with either no health care insurance or insurance with out of pocket expenses so high they avoid seeking care when, for example, they develop COVID-related symptoms. Federal health care policymakers, providers and insurers have however slowly begun to take interest in addressing SDOH as a way to improve health care outcomes and costs. For example, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which enroll more than one-third of all Medicare beneficiaries, have recently been given regulatory authority to offer MA beneficiaries supplemental benefits beyond medical care such as meal delivery, home modifications and personal care services. Recently as well, the 2017 tax bill contained a provision that created Opportunity Zones (OZs) designed to attract long term investment via tax incentives to address social and economic realities in high poverty communities.
John Gorman Discusses the Use of Opportunity Zones to Address Social Determinants (October 21st)
John Gorman Discusses the Use of Opportunity…
John Gorman Discusses the Use of Opportunity Zones to Address Social Determinants (October 21st)
Listen Now The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on the social determinants of health (SDOH) - generally defined as health access and quality, education, economic circumstances, food security, social conditions and environmental factors. It is estimated SDOH determine as much as 60% of one's health status, whereas formal medical care accounts for just 10%. Concerning economic circumstances, forty years of wage stagnation among lower income workers has left 45% of Americans with either no health care insurance or insurance with out of pocket expenses so high they avoid seeking care when, for example, they develop COVID-related symptoms. Federal health care policymakers, providers and insurers have however slowly begun to take interest in addressing SDOH as a way to improve health care outcomes and costs. For example, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which enroll more than one-third of all Medicare beneficiaries, have recently been given regulatory authority to offer MA beneficiaries supplemental benefits beyond medical care such as meal delivery, home modifications and personal care services. Recently as well, the 2017 tax bill contained a provision that created Opportunity Zones (OZs) designed to attract long term investment via tax incentives to address social and economic realities in high poverty communities.