"These findings reveal that strengthening primary care can be instrumental in helping to move the U.S. to a high performance health system," said Commonwealth Fund Assistant Vice President Melinda Abrams, a co-author of the report. "Provisions in the health care reform legislation currently being considered by Congressincluding medical home pilots to test different payment methodologies, increased payment for primary care in Medicare, and loan forgiveness for physicians choosing careers in primary careare steps towards the goal of improving health care for all Americans."

Methodology

Data come from the Commonwealth Fund 2009 Survey of Clinic Patients in New Orleans, an in-person survey conducted February 2, 2009, through April 2, 2009 with a sample of 1,573 clinic patients aged 18 and older or adults accompanying a child under the age of 18. The report limits the analysis to 1,231 respondents ages 18 to 64. The 20-minute, two-part, in-person surveys were conducted in 27 primary care and pediatric clinics across Orleans Parish that received funding from the Primary Care Access and Stabilization Grant. The survey was conducted by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS), a branch of AUS and ICR/International Communications Research. The survey sample was drawn from all eligible patients present at the clinics on interviewing days, consisting of those ages 18 and older and visiting the clinic as a p
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