HEALTH POLICY
Katherine A. Gergen Barnett, MD; Judith L. Steinberg, MD, MPH, FACP
Corresponding Author: Katherine A. Gergen Barnett, MD; Boston Medical Center; Boston University Chobanion and Avedesian School of Medicine; Harvard Center for Primary Care.
Email: gergenbarnett@gmail.com
DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2025.250174R2
Keywords: Advocacy, Chronic Disease, Health Disparities, Health Equity, Health Policy, Health Services, Policy, Population Health, Preventive Care, Primary Health Care, Public Health
Dates: Submitted: 05-05-2025; Revised: 08-06-2025; 09-22-2025; Accepted: 10-13-2025
Status: Volume 39, Issue 1 (Publishes March 2026)
From the rise of chronic diseases to crushing medical debt, the American healthcare system is on life support. Primary care - the only medical specialty that has unambiguous evidence of improving overall health, lowering mortality, preventing disease, and reducing health care expenditures- is a critical resource in building towards the future of a healthy America. However, despite primary care being a bi-partisan issue that affects every American, prioritizing and strengthening primary care has been challenging and, as a specialty, it remains undervalued and underfunded. In our 50 plus years of collective service to primary care, we have learned both hard-earned and valuable lessons along the way and it is our hope that in sharing them they might be of service to those working to advance primary care through policy solutions.