Investing in primary care is investing in NY's futureJeff Kaczorowski |
New York currently underinvests in primary care compared to other states and countries with better health outcomes. We spend disproportionately on specialty and hospital-based care, often after conditions have worsened. The Primary Care Investment Act would begin to rebalance this system by requiring insurers to dedicate at least 12.5% of health care spending to primary care. That means more pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and community-based care teams embedded in the neighborhoods where children and families live.
As a pediatrician, and as New York State Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics, I see every day what happens when primary care for children is underfunded. When families cannot access timely pediatric care, essential foundations for health care are missed, including vaccinations, developmental delays, and emerging behavioral health needs.
Primary care is the gateway to a healthier New York
Debates about health often focus on adults with chronic disease and their high-cost care for serious illnesses, hospitalizations and emergency room use. These could be improved by investments in........