HHS announces Accountable Health Community funding

The Obama administration on Tuesday announced a new pilot program to test whether helping people with issues such as housing and food can save Medicare money and improve health outcomes (Source: “HHS launches test program for non-health needs,” The Hill, Jan. 5, 2015). 

The program will provide $157 million in ACA funding for “bridge organizations” that will work in certain communities to identify social needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and help connect them to existing aid programs. 

 “For decades, we’ve known that social needs profoundly affect health, and this model will help us understand which strategies work to help improve health and spend dollars more wisely,” said Dr. Patrick Conway, Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  

HPIO will host a call from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22 to discuss the model.  HPIO is interested in facilitating a coordinated effort to better position Ohio to receive this funding opportunity.