Social drivers of health are the non-medical factors—such as financial health, nutrition, housing, and transportation—that impact individuals’ health outcomes. Unmet social needs can exacerbate health conditions, prevent people from accessing needed health care in a timely fashion, and increase reliance on more costly hospital and emergency services.
Helping Medicare beneficiaries address social needs by connecting them to services in their community – like financial supports, meal delivery, housing assistance, and ride sharing – can improve health outcomes and quality of life and support effective use of the health care system. Health plans and providers, community-based social service organizations, and government agencies each have a role to play in addressing social drivers of health.
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