The department, along with CMS, released guidance on an opportunity for states to address SDOH through the use of “in lieu of services and settings,” in Medicaid managed care, according to a Jan. 4 HHS news release.
The option will help states offer alternative benefits that take aim at a number of unmet health-related social needs, including housing instability and food insecurity, to help enrollees maintain coverage and improve their health outcomes.
CMS said in a letter to state Medicaid directors that one such option may be medically tailored meals for a clinically oriented target population.
The letter also establishes requirements and guardrails states must meet to ensure these innovations are cost effective, medically appropriate, preserve enrollee rights and protections, and fulfill the objectives of the Medicaid program, according to the release.
Read the full letter here.
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