National Multi-Stakeholder Coalition of More Than 70 Organizations Emphasizes the Need to Advance Primary Care
WASHINGTON — As Congress explores changes to the health care system, the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (The Collaborative) emphasizes the need to continue to advance coverage of primary care and to align payment reform for primary care as essential to achieving better health outcomes and lower costs.
The Collaborative is a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder membership organization representing more than 70 organizations – public and private – including payers, health care providers, leading corporations and patient and consumer advocacy groups. We are committed to promoting policies and sharing best practices that support growth of high-performing primary care to achieve the “Quadruple Aim:” better care, better health, lower costs, and greater joy for patients, clinicians, and staff in delivery of care.
Advanced primary care is foundational to delivery system transformation, and patient-centered medical home initiatives continue to reduce health costs and unnecessary utilization of services (PCMH Evidence Report 2016).
The Collaborative strongly urges Congress to ensure that:
- Americans have access to affordable coverage for primary care services, without which the health of individuals, families and their communities will be threatened.
"According to The Commonwealth Fund, patients who have a primary care physician have 33 percent lower health care costs, and live longer, healthier lives." (Source: The Commonwealth Fund, "Health Reform & You - Primary Care: Our First Line of Defense." 12 June 2013.)
- Payment reform – innovative alternate payment models – continue to be advanced, in both the public and private sectors (including Medicare and Medicaid) to encourage and support primary care.
According to the National Coalition on Health Care, “New payment models and dedicated efforts to coordinate care are changing the delivery of health care, but more progress needs to be made.”
Much progress has been made over the past decade to transform primary care, to develop benefit designs that support and reward advanced primary care through the patient-centered medical home, to encourage patient and family engagement and to develop and implement alternative payment systems. These efforts have resulted in better health and lower costs. Congress must continue to support this positive path as a priority for the health care system.
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About the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC)
Founded in 2006, the PCPCC is a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder membership organization dedicated to advancing an effective and efficient health care system built on the strong foundation of primary care and the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Membership includes a broad group of public and private organizations, including payers, providers, patient and consumer advocacy groups, non-profits and leading corporations dedicated to transforming health care. The PCPCC achieves its mission through the combined work of its executive members, Stakeholder Centers, clinicians and thought leaders focused on the key issues of delivery reform, payment reform, and patient engagement, to drive health system transformation. For more information, or to become an executive member, visit www.pcpcc.org.
