Health and financial well-being: Key elements of successful credit union and health care partnerships – Part 2

In our first post on this topic, we made the assertion that health and financial well-being are intrinsically linked – especially for millions of low- and moderate-income Americans struggling under the burden of rising out-of-pocket health care costs.

As a social determinant of health, financial well-being needs to be prioritized alongside quality and affordable health care, education, employment, housing, and nutritious food. In fact, many of these conditions affecting health are also social determinants of financial well-being.

In order to improve health and financial outcomes for consumers, the need for collaboration among non-traditional partners in the community – such as credit unions and health systems – has never been greater.

Think about a child who frequently visits an emergency room due to asthma exacerbated by unhealthy housing conditions (mold; poor air quality) and financial insecurity in the home (the parent misses work or cannot afford to address environmental triggers in the home, such as fixing a water leak, replacing an old rug, vacuum cleaner, or dehumidifier).

 

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