Protecting Primary Care in the Time of COVID-19

Primary care is in an acute crisis. What had been a tenuous future for independent and small practices is now in immediate jeopardy as the COVID-19 pandemic has led patients to cancel visits and postpone elective medical procedures, putting an almost immediate stop to physicians’ payments. The COVID-19 crisis is also presenting a potential breaking point for our entire health care system and those who rely on it for needed care. 

In response to the current crisis, the Pacific Business Group on Health held a member webinar to engage Members in thinking about new primary care models. These models would allow us to invest in coverage for prevention, testing, primary care services and social needs so that people get the care and support they need by a robust and fit primary care infrastructure; avoiding the current scenario of primary care practices verging on bankruptcy. This effort may be catalyzed by the COVID-19 crisis, but these are changes that will build a better health system for the long term.