Humana Announces Program Focused on Social Determinants of Health

Humana is launching a new value-based care payment initiative that will focus on social determinants of health to help clinicians better address nonmedical health risk factors.

“Humana is committed to advancing the transformation to value-based care and incorporating a focus on social determinants of health is the logical next step in that evolution,” said Caraline Coats, vice president of population health strategy at Humana.

The Social Determinants of Health Value-Based Program will address key social determinants like food insecurity, loneliness, and housing instability.

Humana stated in its press release that this new program will offer providers tools and resources to identify and address those social determinants, as well as compensation for enhanced care coordination centered on three program components—patient screenings; documentation of assessment findings; and connecting the patient to appropriate resources.

“Through this program, Humana is pleased to invest in a new approach that includes focusing on nonclinical barriers to health. We’re better able to support clinicians as they broaden the scope of patient care to improve health outcomes,” said Ms Coats.

Oschner Health, Louisiania’s largest nonprofit, academic health care system has signed on to be the programs’ first participant. Humana and Oschner Health have existing value-based agreements and are using this opportunity to expand on that partnership. —Edan Stanley