State Primary Care Investment Legislative Update

State Primary Care Investment Legislative Update:

1. In Washington, SB 5589 was referred to the Health & Long Term Care Committee on January 10, 2022, which would charge the state Health Care Cost Transparency Board with measuring and reporting on primary care expenditures and progress toward increasing spending to 12 percent of total health care expenditures. If passed into law, by the end of 2022 the board would submit a preliminary report to the governor addressing primary care expenditures in the state of Washington.
2. In Nebraska, LB 737 was referred to the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee on January 10, 2022 and would create a 15-member primary care investment council to:
   • Develop an appropriate definition for primary care investment.
   • Measure the current level of primary care investment, measured as a part of overall health care spending, by public and private payors in Nebraska.
   • Conduct a comparison of spending on primary care services and health outcomes in Nebraska with surrounding states and nationally.
   • Develop an appropriate target level of primary care investment by public and private payors in Nebraska.
   • Recommend strategies to achieve the target level of primary care investment through alternative payment models.
   • Identify the public health benefits and estimated cost savings that would result from meeting the target level of primary care investment though alternative payment models.
   • Identify solutions to barriers for Nebraska residents from accessing primary care and for health payors and medical providers from investing in primary care.