Health Affairs September 22, 2023
Three themes dominate current federal policy discussions of health care reform: transforming the health care system toward value-based care that responds to both medical and social determinants of health, doing so with an emphasis upon racial equity, and building a more robust public and community health system in underserved communities. All three of these involve working to achieve the “triple aim” of health system improvement—quality of care, population health, and cost of care.
These discussions have focused on populations already experiencing adverse health conditions and medical costs, including those with illnesses and disabilities or those toward the end of their lives. To improve population health, rectify health inequities, strengthen community health system responses, and secure high value from health investments,...