Bridging Health Care and Population Health: Payment and Financing Models

This New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) white paper highlights key points from a population health summit, sponsored by NYHealth and cohosted by NYAM and New York University, on ways for health care providers and payers to invest more broadly in improving the health conditions of communities.

Despite growing evidence that nonmedical determinants (such as housing, access to affordable healthy foods, and opportunities for physical activity) have a disproportionate impact on a population’s health, the business case for investing in healthy communities remains ill-defined. Without a clear understanding of the financial return on investment, attention to population health will continue to lag.

The October 2014 summit brought together State and national leaders to discuss examples where delivery systems and communities have successfully invested in geographic population health; the business case for investments in population health from the payer perspective; potential provider payment models for expanding investment beyond the clinical care of specific patient populations; and alternative financing models for community health investment being used by states, financial institutions, and private investors.

This paper summarizes the summit’s key ideas, issues, and recommendations, as well as additional opportunities that New York State might pursue to sustain the investment needed to make New York the healthiest State.