Strengthening Primary Care

As American health care transitions toward value-based models of care and payment, successful employers, plans, and health systems are finding strong primary care to be absolutely essential. Yet the United States spends only 4-8% of health care dollars on primary care, compared to an average of approximately 12% among other industrialized countries – each of which spends substantially less per capita on health care than the United States. To build an American health care system that delivers better care at a lower cost, primary care must become a national health policy priority. Here’s how:
Build on what’s working
- Make Comprehensive Primary Care Plus and Independence at Home models available to practices across the country.
- Continue to improve Medicare’s Physician Fee Schedule’s support for chronic care management.
- Integrate payment streams and clinician training for primary care and behavioral health.
- Implement MACRA’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model provisions.
Preserve existing investments in health centers & primary care workforce
- Provide long-term funding for the Community Health Center Fund.
- Sustain mandatory support for the National Health Service Corps & the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education programs.
- Maintain stable discretionary appropriations for healthcare workforce programs.
Recent Publications from NCHC on this topic:
Primary Care: Its Essential Role in a Value-Based Health Care System
MedPage Today: Group Unveils National Primary Care Strategy
AAFP: Panelists: Payment Reform Must Emphasize Primary Care
Primary Care: High-Value Care for Underserved Communities
NCHC, Health Centers, Physicians Urge Congress to Avoid the 2017 Primary Care Cliff
After Debt Ceiling Deal, Congress Must Prevent Disruption to Nation’s Health System
Primary Care: Rural and Urban Communities Face Significant Workforce Challenges
MedPage Today: Another Deadline Looms: $$ for Doc Training
Deadlines loom for key components to addressing U.S. primary care shortage
NCHC Encouraged by Emerging Health Funding Deal, Concerned by Offsets
Lack of Health Center, Medicare Extensions Will Harm Outcomes, Increase Costs
Joint letter calling on Congressional leadership to reauthorize vital health programs
Statement on the Senate Budget Agreement Announced on February 7, 2018
Recommendations for Senate Finance regarding substance use disorders
Medical Economics: From volume to value: Primary care delivers
Medicare’s Latest Primary Care Initiative a Major Step Forward – April 2016