What makes the WHI a credible measure of health?

WHI methodology has been validated by external data experts and published in the New England Journal of Medicine’s Catalyst.

New York | Whole Health Index

What Is the Whole Health Index?

Until now, the healthcare industry has been limited to measurements for physical health -- such as blood tests that measure the chemical balances in our bodies or breathing tests that measure lung capacity -- and in recent years, behavioral health. What has been missing is a measure of the social factors that contribute to our health and the health of our communities. This is why Anthem Blue Cross developed the Whole Health Index (WHI).

The WHI gives us the ability to measure whole health. Created by our physicians, data scientists, and researchers, it is a first-of-its kind assessment of individual health. Using a scale of 0 to 100, the WHI can evaluate a person or group’s relative health over time and assess the physical, behavioral, and social factors that influence it.

How Is the Whole Health Index Calculated?

The WHI uses more than 90 data points that fall into the broad categories of physical, behavioral, and social health. These data points range from food insecurity, transportation accessibility, and housing instability to preventive dental exams, immunizations, and treatment for mental health conditions.

The WHI creates a factual, objective, numerical calculation for each person. This makes it possible to measure the success of strategies designed to foster whole health and advance health equity.

50%

Social Drivers

Financial strain
Housing instability
Affordability
Food insecurity
Transportation barriers
Neighborhood composition

50%

Physical & Behavioral Drivers

20% Clinical Quality

Cardiovascular care, diabetes care, analogy, respiratory care
Overdue/appropriateness patient safety
Access to care, prevention screening
Acute care utilization care coordination
Behavioral health
Women’s health

30% Global Health

Presence of both acute and chronic conditions

Explore the WHI in New York

This 2024 county snapshot map of New York members in a subset of our commercial health plan membership shows how physical, behavioral, and social factors affect the overall health of the people we serve.

Average County Whole Health Index

Hover over or click a specific county on the map to display WHI information about that county. Higher numbers indicate better health.

The pop-up for each county shows the average WHI. Two counties can have a similar average WHI, but their physical (PD) and social (SD) drivers may be different, so these numbers are also included to give a better understanding of what is affecting health in that county. A lower physical driver assessment may indicate that more people in that county have illnesses or lack access to quality healthcare, while a lower social driver assessment may indicate more significant health-related social needs (whether for individuals or their community) such as greater transportation challenges.

For example, counties that are experiencing an increase in substance use disorders within their population may show a lower physical driver assessment even if their overall WHI is in the average range. Rural counties may show a lower social driver assessment due to transportation barriers or lack of access to nutritious food.

For privacy purposes, any areas or filters containing fewer than 30 members are not displayed and shown in white.

“Health is deeply personal, and every community has its own story. We believe our greatest opportunity—and responsibility—is to meet people where they are and help them thrive. By using the Whole Health Index, we are reimagining what’s possible when compassionate care, data-driven insight, and strong community partnerships come together with purpose. Our members and employer partners trust us to look beyond traditional healthcare and focus on the full picture of well-being—from access to care and affordability of food, housing, and the everyday supports that shape a person’s life. By addressing these interconnected needs, we are advancing a new standard of whole-health care that creates lasting change. Together, we’re building healthier futures for the individuals, families, and communities we’re honored to serve.”

Victor DeStefano, President

Anthem Blue Cross in New York

A Closer Look at New York

The WHI measures the overall health of a state’s residents. It can numerically validate information that may be only anecdotally known about social drivers of health, and as a result, identify actions that may be taken to improve health. For example:

Across New York's major regions, WHI physical drivers show small variation, while social drivers values vary more widely. The statewide average WHI is 58, the average physical driver value is 55, and the average social driver value is 61.

Upstate New York counties show lower WHI compared to New York City on average and particularly lower social driver values (WHI 53, PD* 50, SD 56).

New York’s “Rust Belt” (i.e., the upstate region of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, and Syracuse) often is considered historically, culturally, and geographically distinct from the rest of the state. Its average WHI (WHI 55, PD* 50, SD 59) is higher than that of upstate New York overall, driven by its relatively high average social drivers value, which approaches the New York State average.

Anthem Blue Cross can also use the WHI at a more granular level to improve member health outcomes in New York. Leaning on established partnerships with our network of community-based organizations, we can support our members’ health more holistically.

WHI in Action: Community Partnerships

With the WHI helping to guide our understanding about what is most needed in a community, Anthem Blue Cross continues to listen to and partner with local organizations to better meet those needs. These are examples of how Anthem has helped communities address health-related social needs in New York.

Delivering Comprehensive Breast Cancer Support Services

To Life! supports individuals affected by breast cancer across New York’s greater Capital Region. Created by a survivor who experienced gaps in care, the organization provides a welcoming, non-medical setting where patients can access reliable information, guidance, and supportive services. To Life! helps individuals make informed treatment decisions, communicate with their families, and obtain resources such as wigs and post-surgical clothing. The organization also promotes early detection through community outreach and breast self-examination education.

Supporting Food as Medicine to Address Chronic Disease

Food Pantries for the Capital District is a coalition of 70 pantries serving nearly 70,000 people and providing more than 3.2 million meals annually. Since 2020, its food as medicine program has delivered nutrition education and medically tailored groceries to people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In partnership with community and healthcare organizations, the program increases access to fresh, healthy foods to improve dietary habits, reduce food insecurity, and lower the health risks and costs associated with chronic disease.

Explore Community Partnerships in other areas of New York

Frequently Asked Questions

About 20 percent of health outcomes and associated costs are tied to physical health needs, such as treating high blood pressure in a clinic.¹ The other 80 percent are largely driven by unmet social and behavioral health needs, such as lack of nutritious food, stable housing, social support, or means to access care. Since there has been no standard for measuring these factors, they have been largely overlooked until now. The WHI shows where solutions can be most effective and supports efforts to foster whole health and improve health outcomes.

WHI information can be used to develop more targeted and equitable programs, craft budgets, allocate resources, observe macro health changes, and more. Detailed, member-level data is only accessible to outside entities that are Anthem Blue Cross customers. We hope community-based organizations, legislators, urban planners, and other change-makers use the WHI to benefit the overall health of their communities.

By monitoring the health of our members over time, we can better identify what's working, what’s not, and more quickly and accurately offer ways to support them both in the short and long term. The WHI also helps us see which physical, behavioral, and social factors are affecting health in communities across the country. Over time, this knowledge can help close care gaps, reduce disparities, and improve health outcomes for our members and their communities.

Anthem Blue Cross DOES NOT use the WHI to determine member eligibility, approve/deny claims, or influence any component of plan designs, including pricing.

Yes. Anthem Blue Cross uses industry-leading best practices to store and protect all data. The interactive maps on this website do not display member data at the individual level. No personally identifiable information (PII) is used in the WHI. For privacy purposes, any areas or filters containing fewer than 30 members are not displayed. We do not share or sell any member-specific WHI data externally.

This map was created using data from employer-sponsored health plan membership in 2024. The clinical data comes directly from claims we processed that same year, such as healthcare services used, as well as acute and chronic disease diagnoses.

The social data comes from social need diagnosis codes, member self-assessments, and publicly available census data on critical social needs (financial strain, healthcare affordability, access to transportation, food insecurity, housing insecurity).

A higher number generally means better health. The WHI is a reliable, validated tool for measuring overall health. This dashboard includes only aggregate data; it does not display information about individual people. The WHI assessment looks at physical, behavioral, and social factors affecting health. Some of these factors are within a person’s control; many are not. WHI creates a factual calculation with a neutral data point that can be used to inform strategies for cultivating whole health and improving health outcomes.

“PD” stands for physical drivers of health, and it encompasses the factors that typically go into measuring health, such as presence of illness, whether a person has access to and uses the healthcare system, care for chronic illnesses, and whether a person gets regularly tested for illnesses. The “SD” stands for the social drivers of health that have traditionally been left out of health measurement, such as where someone lives, their employment situation, the ability to get nutritious food, and whether they have transportation. These factors make up the Whole Health Index and work together to gauge overall health.

¹https://www.washingtonpost.com/creativegroup/elevance-health/its-time-we-looked-at-the-big-picture-to-improve-healthcare/#_ftn1

The WHI includes not only members who live in the displayed state and receive health benefits coverage from an Anthem Blue Cross, but also members who live in the displayed state and who receive health benefits coverage through employers headquartered in other states in which Anthem plans are offered.

To learn more about how WHI can help guide benefit program selection and improve member health outcomes, please reach out to your Anthem sales representative.

The Whole Health Index