Medicare and Medicaid move upstream to address social determinants of health

By Jasmine Hayes, John Auerbach, Dawn Alley, Ph.D., David Lakey, MD, Dora Anne Mills, and Maria Lemus

Social determinants of health (SDOH)—like access to food, safe housing, and transportation—are critical drivers of individual and community health. Yet, these factors are often overlooked in healthcare delivery, leaving unmet needs that worsen disparities.

This webinar will spotlight the transformative impact of recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) actions, including a groundbreaking 2024 regulation requiring hospitals to screen patients for five key SDOH domains: food security, housing, transportation, utilities, and personal safety. Discover how this policy shift—and related CMS initiatives—are reshaping healthcare by integrating social services into medical care.

Through expert insights and emerging data, you’ll learn:

What the 2024 CMS SDOH screening policy reveals about the needs of hospitalized patients.
Innovative solutions like increased Medicare reimbursement for transportation and food support.
How Medicaid waivers expand coverage for essential non-medical services, including housing.
Opportunities for collaboration across healthcare, public health, and community-based organizations to address SDOH effectively.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from leading experts as they explore the path forward for ensuring social needs are identified and addressed in multiple healthcare settings.

Meet the authors

Jasmine Hayes, Executive Director, Child Welfare and Education

Jasmine is a child welfare expert with more than 20 years of experience working with local, state, and federal entities to transform systems and change outcomes for children, youth, and families. View bio
John Auerbach, Senior Vice President, Federal Health

John is a public health expert with more than 30 years of experience in strengthening programs at the federal, state, and local level to drive improved health outcomes for the public, especially those who are at elevated risk for poor health outcomes. View bio
Dawn Alley, Ph.D., Head of Scale, IMPaCT Care, Executive in Residence, ARPA-H, Former Chief Strategy Officer, CMS
David Lakey, MD, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, University of Texas System
Dora Anne Mills, Chief Health Improvement Officer, MaineHealth
Maria Lemus, Executive Director, Visión y Compromiso and the Network of Promotoras and Community Health Workers

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Medicare and Medicaid move upstream to address social determinants of health

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