States Employ Medicaid to Cover Housing, Food, and Social Needs

New York is the latest in a constellation of state Medicaid programs betting that offering nontraditional coverage for targeted social welfare will improve public health outcomes while also saving those states millions of dollars.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ approval this month of New York’s experimental demonstration project allows temporary funding for services not usually found as part of a standard Medicaid benefit. This includes over $3 billion for services like rental assistance, nutritional support, and medically necessary home modifications.

The demonstration will also allocate nearly $50 million to student loan repayment for doctors who choose to serve ...