2/27/25 – Key Points
Question Is North Carolina Medicaid’s Healthy Opportunities Pilots 1115 waiver program, which provides nonmedical services to address health-related social needs, associated with lower Medicaid spending?
Findings This comparative interrupted time series evaluation found that spending increased near program enrollment, followed by a significantly decreasing trend in spending relative to what would have been expected in the absence of the program.
Meaning Because lower need for expensive health services can indicate better health, these findings are consistent with the idea that programs to address health-related social needs may help improve health for Medicaid beneficiaries.
