Eight Washington Health Plans Align to Transform Primary Care

In July 2024, eight Washington health plans signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), committing to multipayer primary care transformation. The MOU outlines individual and collective payer efforts to support the state’s Primary Care Transformation Initiative. The initiative builds on Washington’s first statewide alignment effort, the Primary Care Transformation Model and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation model Making Care Primary.

Under the initiative, health plans agree to align their plan offerings and design and implement advanced provider payment models. The payer coordination on quality measures and payment is expected to decrease practices’ administrative burden. It will also increase financial support for primary care over time, which will help Washington achieve its goal of spending 12% of total health care spending on primary care.

Participating primary care practices will join the Washington State Health Care Authority–administered Primary Care Practice Recognition Program, which aims to move practices to higher recognition levels over time. For practices at the entry level, for example, there can be infrastructure payments and targeted support for improving services.

“In Washington, as in many states, there is a shortage of primary care providers,” said Judy Zerzan-Thul, MD, MPH, chief medical officer of the Washington State Health Care Authority. “I’m hoping increased investment and support into primary care will encourage more doctors and nurses to go into primary care.”

MOU signers include: Community Health Plan of WA; Coordinated Care; Kaiser Permanente Washington; Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc.; Regence BlueShield; UnitedHealthcare Premera Blue Cross; Wellpoint Washington Inc.; and the Washington State Health Care Authority.