Pennsylvania

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In 2020, the Center collaborated with Pennsylvania to develop health reform recommendations and a savings analysis. Working with staff from multiple agencies, the Center helped the state team create vision and principles for reform, and then craft strategies for implementation. The recommendations span Pennsylvania’s health system in an effort to achieve savings while transitioning to a regionally driven, whole-person care model that can address gaps in care, affordability, and health equity.

In 2021, the Center continued work with Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services to provide technical assistance as the state implemented these important health care reforms. To support regional planning, the Center team created the PA Health Equity Analysis Tool (PA HEAT). Available to the public on DHS’ website, users can map variation of health and social determinant indicators at the regional, county, zip code and census tract levels using ten different dashboard views, each with a focus on specific types of social or environmental factors. For example, one dashboard view combines Medicaid measures at the zip code level with an index of population health and social determinant statistics at the census tract level. Results can be filtered by geography and by values for Medicaid, population health and social health measures. Dashboard views are also available to generate summary reports for specific census tracts and zip codes.