[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":789,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"A coalition of healthcare organizations is backing legislation to promote the capturing of social determinants of health data for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Aligning for Health, which includes Anthem, the American Hospital Association, the BlueCross BlueShield Association, Humana and UPMC, supports the Utilizing National Data, Effectively Reforming Standards and Tools, to Address Negative Determinates of Health (UNDERSTAND) Act.

Introduced last month by Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the bill is meant to provide Congress with needed information to better inform future legislation.

\u201cWe agree that encouraging providers to screen for and identify non-health factors that may contribute to wellbeing will help to enable more holistic and well-informed care,\u201d states the coalition\u2019s letter to Casey and Portman. \u201cAdditionally, the collection of such data at the federal level will help to illuminate healthcare disparities in the Medicare and Medicaid population, providing actionable data to policymakers to better target resources and support.\u201d

Also See<\/b>: Payers, providers jointly benefit from SDOH efforts<\/a>

\u201cThere is a significant body of evidence indicating that economic and social conditions such as safe and affordable housing, sufficient nutrition, access to transportation and others, have a powerful impact on individual and population health outcomes, as well as medical costs,\u201d according to Aligning for Health.

If the UNDERSTAND Act becomes law, it will require healthcare providers to submit ICD-10 Z-codes or \u201cstress codes\u201d to the Department of Health and Human Services when treating a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary. The legislation also would require HHS to evaluate the reported information and to provide aggregate findings and trends from the data.

\u201cThe UNDERSTAND Act is the first step to learning more about social determinants of health so that we can find solutions to improve health care access and life outcomes for underserved communities,\u201d said Casey in a written statement.

\u201cWe must address the disparities that hold some individuals back, and the UNDERSTAND Act will provide a targeted approach to identifying ways that we can improve health outcomes for vulnerable communities,\u201d adds Portman. <\/b>\u201cThe UNDERSTAND Act establishes a federal plan to gather information and inform future policy making. This is an important step to changing the way we talk about poverty and health.\u201d","saveContent":"A coalition of healthcare organizations is backing legislation to promote the capturing of social determinants of health data for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Aligning for Health, which includes Anthem, the American Hospital Association, the BlueCross BlueShield Association, Humana and UPMC, supports the Utilizing National Data, Effectively Reforming Standards and Tools, to Address Negative Determinates of Health (UNDERSTAND) Act.

Introduced last month by Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), the bill is meant to provide Congress with needed information to better inform future legislation.

\u201cWe agree that encouraging providers to screen for and identify non-health factors that may contribute to wellbeing will help to enable more holistic and well-informed care,\u201d states the coalition\u2019s letter to Casey and Portman. \u201cAdditionally, the collection of such data at the federal level will help to illuminate healthcare disparities in the Medicare and Medicaid population, providing actionable data to policymakers to better target resources and support.\u201d

Also See<\/b>: Payers, providers jointly benefit from SDOH efforts<\/a>

\u201cThere is a significant body of evidence indicating that economic and social conditions such as safe and affordable housing, sufficient nutrition, access to transportation and others, have a powerful impact on individual and population health outcomes, as well as medical costs,\u201d according to Aligning for Health.

If the UNDERSTAND Act becomes law, it will require healthcare providers to submit ICD-10 Z-codes or \u201cstress codes\u201d to the Department of Health and Human Services when treating a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary. The legislation also would require HHS to evaluate the reported information and to provide aggregate findings and trends from the data.

\u201cThe UNDERSTAND Act is the first step to learning more about social determinants of health so that we can find solutions to improve health care access and life outcomes for underserved communities,\u201d said Casey in a written statement.

\u201cWe must address the disparities that hold some individuals back, and the UNDERSTAND Act will provide a targeted approach to identifying ways that we can improve health outcomes for vulnerable communities,\u201d adds Portman. <\/b>\u201cThe UNDERSTAND Act establishes a federal plan to gather information and inform future policy making. This is an important step to changing the way we talk about poverty and health.\u201d","order":0,"get_parent":{},"attributes":[],"attributesType":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"dynamicContent":""}]

Coalition supports bill to improve SDOH collection

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