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Investing in Community Wellness: Lessons from Our Conversation with Dr. Monica Soni, CMO at Covered California
- FORWARD Platform
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
At FORWARD, we’re advancing innovation in public health because stronger, healthier communities can’t wait.
That’s why we were honored to host a powerful conversation between Dr. Monica Soni, Chief Medical Officer at Covered California, and Aja Brown, former Mayor of Compton and Strategic Impact Partner at FORWARD, during our recent webinar, Healthcare Policy Innovation and the Power of Investment.
Their discussion explored how Covered California is redefining what it means to invest in community wellness, shifting healthcare dollars beyond clinical care to address the broader factors that shape health outcomes—like financial security, food access, and preventive care.
Listening to Communities to Design Better Health Interventions
One of the most powerful themes from the conversation was the importance of listening directly to the people we serve..
"We actually cold-called hundreds of Covered California enrollees who do have chronic health conditions…and what we got back, particularly from our enrollees, frankly made our jaws drop. We're approaching 50% of folks saying that they are in financial distress. We were hearing about enormous amounts of food insecurity."
Dr. Monica Soni, CMO at Covered California
One of the most powerful themes from the conversation was the importance of listening directly to the people we serve.
Innovative Programs Driving Measurable Change
The discussion highlighted two innovative programs launched under the Population Health Investments (PopHI) initiative:
Grocery Support Program: Providing direct grocery assistance to individuals facing food insecurity and chronic health conditions.
Child Savings Account Program: Helping families build financial security for their children’s futures by incentivizing preventive healthcare visits.
These programs represent a fundamental shift: meeting people’s basic needs today while investing in long-term community wellness tomorrow.
Another groundbreaking achievement? Covered California successfully eliminated deductibles for over one million enrollees—removing a major barrier to care access for low- and moderate-income families.
Redefining Success: Centering Wellness and Happiness
Dr. Soni offered a compelling call to action: public health systems must start measuring success not just by clinical outcomes, but by happiness and holistic wellness.
By focusing on what truly drives health—including financial stability, food security, and community belonging—Covered California is setting a new standard for what health investment can look like.
And at every step, equity remains central—ensuring that the programs and reforms are built to uplift the communities who have historically been left behind.
“I'm going to use a word that came to us from CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), “happiness”. I'm going to be honest, that is not language that I have used in most of my career, and here it was, coming to me from D.C. and CMS. I'm gonna celebrate that. I believe there are areas where we can challenge ourselves in the healthcare industry. And I have to say, I think our program that we've designed, the Population Health Investments, is an example of that.”
Dr. Monica Soni, CMO at Covered California
A Blueprint for Scalable Innovation
A key takeaway from the webinar: this model is scalable.
Dr. Soni and Aja Brown emphasized that what’s happening in California can serve as a blueprint for states, cities, and counties nationwide.
The collaboration between Covered California and FORWARD demonstrates that meaningful, people-centered change is not only achievable—it can happen quickly when partners share a bold vision and are willing to listen and act.
"So, Covered California had never done anything like [the Population Health Investments Programs] before. No, certainly no state-based marketplace or any exchange. We're not a particularly big division, but folks just were committed. There was no detail too small for anybody on the team, and that includes your team, right? Each of the FORWARD team was so important when we were deciding who would be in lockstep with us, who would lock arms with us."
Dr. Monica Soni, CMO at Covered California
Together, we can reimagine how public dollars are invested, how health systems serve communities, and how government can lead with innovation and humanity.
Let’s keep moving FORWARD—toward stronger, healthier, more connected communities.
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