Learning about primary care politics

[okokok]

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I have a naive question that I'm a bit embarrassed to ask, but here goes. I would like to learn more about health care politics, specifically regarding the position of primary care, in this country. Could anyone offer some direction or resources for a beginner like me to start with? I'm overwhelmed by Google searches on the subject and wary of the various agendas behind the information that turns up in those searches. On the other hand, I realize almost all information is biased, especially in the current political climate.

Basically, can anyone who is involved in health care policy or knowledgeable on the subject tell me where a third-year student (who is particularly interested in primary care and its future) should look to educate herself?

I'm aware of my ignorance and naiveté and am trying to correct that; I'd be grateful for sincere and helpful responses. Thank you!

 

[SansaStarkMD]

Saying we need more primary care physicians is the politically correct thing to say but no one does anything about it.

 

[deleted87716]

Saying we need more primary care physicians is the politically correct thing to say but no one does anything about it.

You just aren't paying attention.

 

[okokok]

You just aren't paying attention.

Any tips regarding where can I learn what's being done about it?

 

[MedicineMan99]

I'd suggest you get involved in local politics or with the AAFP conferences. They do lots of political activities.

There is a big shortage of PCPs in America. Obamacare did nothing to help this. Really the main thing that happens politically is PAs and NPs are getting more autonomy to "replace" PCPs. This is simply because they are cheaper to train. It's sad but true. We need more physicians in politics to fight against this.

 

[Akecheta]

http://www.graham-center.org/rgc/home.html
http://kff.org

 

[notinkansas]

That's a VERY broad question. Obviously politics is generally pretty complicated. There are also multiple levels. We can talk about what health care policy/bills should or should not be implemented at the federal level. Also states have some flexibility to do things somewhat differently. We can also talk about how the American Medical Association makes money off CPT coding books, and the internal politics of how reimbursement is decided for each code, which relates to why procedural specialists wind up getting paid so much more than primary care docs get paid for doing preventive work.

Don't expect to understand it all at once. You kind of have to wallow in it for a while

 

[Freezeout]

I'd suggest you get involved in local politics or with the AAFP conferences. They do lots of political activities.

There is a big shortage of PCPs in America. Obamacare did nothing to help this. Really the main thing that happens politically is PAs and NPs are getting more autonomy to "replace" PCPs. This is simply because they are cheaper to train. It's sad but true. We need more physicians in politics to fight against this.

its help if our lobbying group wasn't so fractionated also. Nurses and PAs are far superior on the lobbying front IMO.

 

[FamilymedMD]

AAFP does more harm than good to primary care. They wasted years promoting PCMH in hopes that somehow that would convince payers to give primary care more than lip service. Likewise with MACRA, ABFM's MOC , ACA, etc. Meanwhile, the payers and hospitals are teaching the patients that primary care providers are a commodity that can be replaced by midlevels.
To their credit, they started supporting DPC, the best hope for physician led primary care, a few years ago. After watching the sad decline of primary care at the hands of payers and HHS over the last twenty years, I'm now optimistic about our field .