New Framework Improves Reliability of Primary Care Spending Estimates

An AHRQ study published in Medical Care found that inconsistent definitions across data sources complicate efforts to estimate primary care spending in the United States. Researchers applied a new measurement framework to two data sources—AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a survey of U.S. households, and MarketScan, a database of insurance claims from employees at major companies—to estimate primary care spending per person per year and as a percentage of total healthcare spending from 2010 to 2021. They found that while per-person spending increased steadily, the proportion of total healthcare expenditures on primary care remained between 6 and 9 percent. The study highlights how differences in definitions limit comparability across datasets. It concludes that with consistent standards and transparent methods, and by quantifying uncertainty, it is possible to generate reliable estimates of primary care spending over time. Access the abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40396993/