THREAD: Primary care is in crisis. Independent & small practices are now in jeopardy as the #COVID19 pandemic has led patients to cancel visits and postpone elective procedures. This put an almost immediate stop to physicians’ payments. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-10/coronavirus-lasting-changes-healthcare

We need primary care but haven’t paid for what we value. PC practices have been underfunded for decades, while other countries invest heavily in primary care with lower costs and better health outcomes. The #COVID19 crisis just reinforces why primary care is an urgent priority.

This moment comes with opportunities, and it's long past time to scale up telehealth and digital technologies to expand access and workforce capacity. #COVID19 should mark a “new normal,” and we now need to develop consistent coverage and payment policies for telehealth.

Each state’s public & private purchasers should commit to supporting advanced #primarycare that integrates behavioral health and telehealth. This team-based approach has been shown to improve patient experience and quality outcomes while reducing the cost of care. It’s a win-win.

Primary care cannot flourish without changes in payment. That change is on us—those paying for care. We must end fee-for-service and pay prospectively with predictable population-based payments, giving providers flexibility and resources to serve patients. https://khn.org/news/coronavirus-crisis-doctors-hospitals-request-advance-medicare-payments/

Between competing measure sets, payment models, authorization requirements and paperwork, our care teams are burning out and wasting time & money. #Primarycare providers should have the flexibility to manage patients without the administrative burden of fee-for-service payment.

The U.S. emphasis on specialty & hospital-based care has increased health care costs and likely left the nation more vulnerable in pandemics. A #primarycare infrastructure with increased payments can support the underlying health of the population and mitigate adverse impact. END