Washington, D.C. (November 4, 2026) – The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) praised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for taking essential steps toward whole-person primary care and more accurate payment in the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule.

“We’re grateful that CMS appears to have doubled-down on its commitment to strengthening whole-person primary care by establishing reimbursement for health coaching, shared medical appointments and more resources for behavioral health integration,” said PCC President and CEO Ann Greiner. “These changes—especially when paired with an effort to more accurately price primary care—are important steps toward a more effective system focused on better health.”

The 2027 MPFS finalized several policies sought by the PCC and its members, including:

• Practice expense reforms that reduce reliance on flawed survey data driving mis-valuation of primary care services
• A new option to waive beneficiary cost-sharing for Part B services, including primary care, by Medicare Accountable Care Organizations
• New incentives for Medicare Accountable Care Organizations to serve beneficiaries with complex needs

The final rule also reflected key policy requests from the PCC and its members, including:

• Clarifying that health coaching can be offered under general supervision
• Increased reimbursement for the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and updated pricing for behavioral health care managers
• More flexibility for shared medical appointments, clarifying that they may be used for lifestyle-modifiable conditions

However, due to statutory budget neutrality requirements, Medicare will apply across the board payment reductions to the Medicare physician fee schedule on January 1, absent action from Congress.

“These changes are an important step forward, but we still have a long journey until we reach the health system Americans deserve,” continued Greiner. “We urge Congress to take immediate steps to address the harmful payment cuts imminent in the new year. And we look forward to working with CMS and lawmakers to enact bold reforms that promote happier, healthier communities and more affordable care.”

Washington, D.C. (October 29, 2026) – A new report from the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) – produced in partnership with West Health Policy Center — reveals that Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) services were embraced in the first year the health care billing codes were available and that early adopters were cautiously optimistic about the program going forward.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) services in 2025 as an alternative bundled payment option for primary care clinicians to deliver and receive monthly payment for a group of care management activities.

The report, APCM: Ensuring the Bundled Payment Delivers Better Health, shows that usage of APCM codes grew 2.7 fold in its first year and outpaced other codes aimed at strengthening primary care introduced by CMS in the past.

“It’s encouraging to see the early adopters in the primary care community are enthusiastic about this promising new approach,” said PCC President and CEO Ann Greiner. “APCM provides an opportunity for practices across the nation to expand services, spend more time with patients and build a whole-person approach that we’ve seen leads to better health.” 

While APCM uptake was strong in its first year, there is still considerable work to do to ensure the new services are adopted more broadly.

The PCC has identified policy solutions that CMS and Congress can implement to make APCM adoption easier

• Remove burdensome beneficiary cost-sharing

• Simplify the consent and re-consent process for APCM and care documentation 

• Create incentives for multipayer alignment across Medicare, Medicaid and other payers

Additionally, policymakers and industry leaders should recognize that APCM can serve as an on-ramp to accountable care models, including hybrid payment – a mix of prospective, population-based payment and FFS. 

“Year after year, our broken fee-for-service health system has consistently undervalued primary care,” said Greiner. “APCM can and should be a first step toward a new system that empowers primary care to build the holistic, longitudinal relationships we know keep people healthy.” 

The PCC will be hosting a webinar Oct. 29 starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT which will highlight key takeaways from the report. Register for the webinar here. 

For the full report or executive summary, click here.

Washington, D.C. (September 30, 2026) — The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC), which advocates for better health and wellbeing for all Americans by strengthening primary care, has deepened its health policy expertise with the addition of Katie Comando as Senior Campaign Director and Dr. Sarah G. Candler as the PCC Richard Baron Fellow. 

ABOUT KATIE COMANDO 

Comando will focus on building visibility and awareness of the PCC’s work to unify and engage diverse stakeholders in promoting policies and sharing best practices that encourage the growth of comprehensive, whole-person primary care. 

Comando said, “I’m excited to be part of an organization that has helped advance policies that are essential for better health and wellbeing.  I’m eager to work with the PCC’s Better Health NOW partners to expand the knowledge that access to high-quality primary care can improve health and overtime reduce downstream expensive services.” 

Comando’s career has spanned many areas of federal policy, including the Domestic Policy Council’s Health and Veterans Team as well as the Health Division of the Office of Management and Budget during the Biden and Trump Administrations. She has additional experience with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. 

ABOUT DR. SARAH CANDLER 

Candler will team with PCC staff to contribute to the organization’s strategy and policy work, including the PCC’s efforts to educate policymakers about the important role primary care plays in improving health. 

Candler remarked, “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to recenter the American health care system on the patient-physician relationship through payment reforms, public transparency and team-based care. Through this exciting new role with the PCC, I look forward to reaching closer to this ever-important goal.” 

Candler is an internal medicine physician specializing in primary care for high-risk older adults. She has dedicated both her practice and her leadership work to improving access to high quality, equitable and affordable primary care for all Americans. 

Ann Greiner, President and CEO of the PCC, noted, “We’re at an important crossroads for advancing the promise of primary care, and both Katie and Sarah’s wealth of experience and knowledge will be critical to helping our team and stakeholders succeed in this exciting environment.”

Washington, D.C. (August 12, 2026) – Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) President and CEO Ann Greiner has issued the following statement in response to an executive order issued on August 10, 2026, instructing the Department of Health and Human Services to further adjust the vaccine schedule:

“Vaccines are a critical tool in preventive care and essential for delivering high quality, whole-person primary care. The United States vaccine schedule was developed on the basis of A-plus science and with input from leading experts.

“We urge the Administration to continue following previous recommendations to ensure the best possible care for American families.”

Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2026) – Today, Primary Care Collaborative President and CEO Ann Greiner issued the following statement in response to the release of the Patients First Act:

“The PCC is grateful to Rep. Joyce, Rep. Schrier, Rep. Murphy and all members of the GOP Doctors Caucus and Congressional Doctors Caucus for their efforts to improve Americans’ health by strengthening primary care in Medicare.

“This legislation includes important steps for shifting our health system away from a broken model that has consistently undervalued primary care. Providing hybrid payments to independent, primary care practices will give them the flexibility and stability they need to run their practice more effectively, serve more Medicare beneficiaries and spend more time with their patients

“Eliminating cost-sharing for primary care, team-based care and integrated behavioral health visits covered by the hybrid program will make it easier for beneficiaries across the country to get the care they need and deserve.

“We look forward to working further with the bill sponsors to continue strengthening provisions in the bill  that support whole person primary care.“

Washington, D.C. (July 14, 2026) – The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) is pleased that CMS continues to pursue bold action in its 2027 Medicare Part B Payment rule that will improve the nation’s health by strengthening primary care in Medicare.

“This latest rule includes proposals that are vital to strengthening the foundation of our health care system and empowering Americans and their families to better manage their own health,” said PCC President and CEO Ann Greiner. “We applaud CMS for recognizing the need to recenter and revalue primary care.”

The proposed rule includes policy proposals that reflect advocacy from the PCC, its members and its Better Health NOW partners, including:

• A Request for Information on how Medicare can shift primary care into hybrid payment structures that give teams the stability and flexibility they need
• Bold steps to strengthen the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including expansion of the beneficiary cost-sharing benefit tested in ACO REACH
• Continued, aggressive work targeting mis-valuation of services, including proposed reforms to Global Surgical Periods
• Improved payment to support Whole-Person Primary Care, including:
  • Shared Medical Appointments
  • Health Coaching and
  • Enhanced reimbursement for behavioral health and behavioral health integration.

While the rule includes provisions that strengthen primary care, it also includes a mandatory expiration of Congress’s latest temporary conversion factor bump.

“While the latest rule is an important step forward for patients and primary care,there is only so much that Medicare can do on their own,” continued Greiner. “We urge Congress to act now to advance broader reforms that assure sustainable payment and accelerate primary care payment reform.”

The PCC will review the rule more closely with its members, offer comment on the proposed rule and reply to the RFI on primary care.

“We are eager to continue to work with CMS leaders on strategies that move us away from a flawed fee-for-service approach that has undervalued primary care, undermining access and quality of care,” concluded Greiner.

Washington, D.C. (June 2, 2026) – Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) President and CEO Ann Greiner has issued the following statement in response to an executive order issued on May 29, 2026 instructing the Department of Health and Human Services to make additional changes to the childhood vaccine schedule:

“Vaccines play a central role in prevention and are a critical part of high-quality, whole-person primary care. For decades, the United States vaccine schedule has been guided by A-plus science that is focused on the particular health threats our nation faces.

“We urge the Administration to continue following the recommendations developed with input from clinicians across the nation who strive to deliver the best possible care to their families, friends and neighbors.”

Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2026) – Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) President and CEO Ann Greiner has issued the following statement in response to the June 1, 2026, interim final rule affecting the Medicaid program:

“The PCC is disappointed by today’s interim final rule, which would further imperil access to high-quality primary care. These top-down changes will force states to implement new requirements that will hamper access to preventive services and primary care.

“At a time when families already struggle to gain access to needed primary care and preventive services, finalizing this regulation will undermine stability of practices across the nation. We urge policymakers to press pause on these concerning policies.”

Today’s announcement closely followed a proposed Special Directed Payment rule that would eliminate $510 billion from state Medicaid budgets—far outpacing the $149 billion score estimated by the CBO when H.R. 1 was passed – and further weakening the nation’s health care safety net.

Washington, D.C. (May 22, 2026) – The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) is concerned by the termination of Dr. John Wong and Dr. Esa Davis from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

“The USPSTF plays a central role in ensuring American families have access to critical preventive services that are the underpinning of primary care,” said Ann Greiner, President and CEO of the PCC. “This move undermines the integrity of USPSTF and engenders distrust in the committee’s vital work to advance evidence-based prevention.”

Last summer, the PCC joined with 103 other organizations urging policymakers to preserve the integrity of the USPSTF by protecting and preserving the USPSTF’s current structure and operations.

“We urge the Secretary and HHS to preserve the remaining members of the task force and allow them to proceed with the evidence-based approach that has been the hallmark of the USPSTF,” continued Greiner.

Since its inception, the Task Force has issued nearly 300 recommendations through a rigorous, multi-step process in collaboration with the public, evidence-based practice centers, and experts in primary care and clinical research.

Washington, D.C. (May 08, 2026) – Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) President and CEO Ann Greiner has issued the following statement in response to efforts by CMS to streamline prior authorization:

“We appreciate the Administration exploring ways to reduce the red tape and bureaucracy that hinders primary care from delivering care patients need.

“We look forward to learning more about these initiatives to streamline prior authorization and gaining a deeper understanding of their impact on removing unnecessary and harmful barriers to care.

“The PCC and its members stand ready to work with the Administration toward simplifying care–including by discussing some of the ideas released in a recent policy options brief.”