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America's primary care system is in crisis, and two major healthcare leaders are calling for a "triple-double" to fix it. The plan: double investment in primary care, double its reach through community health centers, and double the share of new clinicians entering the field. Without action, the U.S. risks deepening a chronic disease epidemic that already costs $4.9 trillion annually.
America's primary care system is badly broken — and two of the country's top healthcare leaders say it's time for a bold, coordinated fix. R. Shawn Martin (CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians) and Kyu Rhee (CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers) are calling for a "triple-double": three sweeping changes, each aimed at doubling a critical metric.
The framework targets three pillars: funding, access, and workforce. Right now, primary care accounts for ~35% of all healthcare visits but receives only 3–6% of total spending — a structural imbalance that pushes patients toward costlier, reactive care. The authors argue that shifting at least 10% of health expenditures to primary care, expanding community health centers to serve 20% of Americans, and doubling the share of new physicians entering primary care would dramatically improve outcomes while reducing long-term costs.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Primary care is the most cost-effective lever for preventing chronic disease and reducing ER visits — but chronic underinvestment is making the system worse. Without structural reform, workforce shortages and access gaps will keep widening.
