HOP-at-a-Glance

Ninety percent of U.S. healthcare spending goes to medical care, but 80 percent of what affects a person’s health happens outside of a medical setting. The Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) is a new way to help people stay healthy. It uses Medicaid funds to pay for nonmedical services that can dramatically impact wellbeing. These services increase access to:

Fresh and Healthy Food

Safe Housing and Living Conditions

Reliable Transportation for Nonmedical Needs

Personal Safety and Healthy Relationships

Early findings show that access to these life-changing services improves participants’ health, reduces emergency department visits and hospital stays, and saves an average of $1,000 per year per participant.

Healthy Opportunities Pilot

Learn how we are expanding access to healthy opportunities in WNC.

HOP participants served

of HOP participants are children

HOP services provided

community-based organizations in HOP network

Regional Impact

HOP provides targeted support to individuals and families. But this innovative program has a positive impact on our region as a whole.

Here’s how:

HOP improves health. By addressing the root causes of illness and disease, HOP is making people healthier.
HOP saves money. Investing in health is an impactful way to reduce healthcare spending, saving nearly $34M a year. Savings are expected to grow over time.
HOP builds rural economies. Through investments in local farms, businesses, and nonprofits, HOP creates
jobs and economic opportunities.
HOP strengthens local infrastructure. HOP’s networked approach and public-private partnerships build communities
that can weather any storm or disaster.
HOP encourages independence. By addressing critical needs, HOP helps individuals return to school, the workforce, and their community.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of our regional impact.

Families have what they need to stay healthy

Nonprofits have what they need to support their community

Healthcare providers have what they need to take care of their patients

Impact Health leads a network of more than 60 trusted community organizations providing pilot services across 18 counties in Western North Carolina (WNC). Each organization provides one or more services to support access to healthy food, safe housing, reliable transportation, personal safety, and healthy relationships.

Latest News

See how our network members are making a healthy impact in their communities.

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