AMA applauds new federal primary care payment models

WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association (AMA) today commended the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on its announcement that many primary care practices will be able to receive improved Medicare payments beginning next year through new payment models.

“Providing adequate financial support for high quality primary care must be an essential element of any strategy to improve the quality and affordability of our country’s healthcare system," said Gerald E. Harmon, MD, immediate past chair of the AMA Board of Trustees. “Many primary care physicians have been struggling to deliver the care their patients need and to financially sustain their practices under current Medicare payments. The new primary care payment models announced today will provide practices with more resources and more flexibility to deliver the highest-quality care to their patients.”