Successful health program pilot should awaken elected leaders to a simple and powerful truth

NC Newsline

For elected leaders interested in improving the efficiency of government, a recent pilot health program managed by the state Department of Health and Human Services provides a powerful lesson.

The program — known as Healthy Opportunities — was implemented in three mostly rural regions to see if the physical health of people enrolled in Medicaid, could be improved by providing them with food, transportation, housing, and other non-medical health-related assistance.

The preliminary answer: a big “yes.”

Analysts found the project led to measurable declines in emergency room visits and hospital admissions for adults.

And, when compared to the year prior to its origination, the project produced health care savings of $85 per person per month.

The bottom line: this welcome news shouldn’t be surprising. When families have access to basics like food, shelter and transportation, all kinds of societal ills are addressed and the demand for all kinds of public services declines. State leaders should learn from and build on this powerful lesson.

For NC Newsline, I’m Rob Schofield.