This report in JAMA describes what the authors said is an optimal payment model for primary care. In May 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) reported that “primary care in the United States is fragile and weakening,” and recommended paying primary care practices through a combination of fee-for-service and capitation. The report in JAMA recommends an integrated team-based system of care in which primary care groups would get monthly payments for wellness care and chronic disease management and fees for the diagnosis and treatment of new acute illnesses.
