Sergio Matos

Addressing Social Determinants to Improve Health Outcomes

Anand Parekh, Karen DeSalvo, Esther Dyson, Sergio Matos, Alan Moses, Lydia, Mark Hyman, Helen

Former health officials and community leaders convened to argue that social determinants like housing and food security drive 80% of health outcomes, citing Humana and CMS data where interventions yielded significant cost savings and improved well-being. Despite evidence supporting community health workers and local partnerships, the panel identified rigid funding structures, actuarial caution, and an overreliance on randomized trials as primary barriers to mainstreaming these models. Strategic recommendations include integrating social factors into Medicaid reimbursement, shifting from short-term grants to sustainable community ownership, and redefining health as a systemic design issue rather than a purely clinical one.