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In a letter to state health officials on January 7 (SHO# 21-001), CMS encouraged state Medicaid and CHIP programs to address and support social determinants of health (SDOH) in their programs. This represents an important breakthrough for addressing health disparities which more often affect persons of color and in poverty.
SDOH is a holistic approach to health that focuses not only on the delivery of health care services (the primary orientation of most US government health care programs), but also other factors that affect an individual’s overall health and well-being. As defined by the CDC, SDOH are “conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes.” Pioneered by British academic Sir Michael Marmot, this approach has wide acceptance in the health research and academic community, but as of yet has not been widely adopted by payors and government programs in the United States.