Medicaid CMO: Health IT developers overlook disadvantaged Americans

Jessica Kim Cohen -

Medicaid CMO Andrey Ostrovsky, MD, wants Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors to drive innovation amongst what he calls an underserved sector — Medicaid beneficiaries, CNBC reports.

Dr. Ostrovsky told CNBC he wants to work with and encourage health IT stakeholders to look more closely at these low-income populations.

"My gut is that it's a big opportunity with $500 billion in federal spend every year in a system that hasn't evolved technologically much since 1965," he said.

Dr. Ostrovsky, who used to live in Baltimore's housing projects, told CNBC he thinks some investors don't target low-income populations because of the complexity of the Medicaid landscape. However, he also believes some developers lack empathy, according to CNBC.

In a tweet directed to CNBC reporter Christina Farr, he wrote: "I'd like [Silicon Valley] investors to spend few weeks homeless, functionally impaired or caring for child [with] complex needs, then see what they say."

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