Primary care accounts for just 4% of U.S. health spending, HCCI report finds

Medical Economics September 19, 2025
Austin Littrell, Keith A. Reynolds

Key Takeaways

Primary care spending in the U.S. is declining, with only 4.39% of employer-sponsored insurance spending in 2022, down from 4.93% in 2018.
State disparities in primary care spending are significant, with Vermont and Nebraska having the highest shares for employer-sponsored insurance and Medicare FFS, respectively.
Rural areas allocate a higher percentage of spending to primary care than urban areas, but both have seen declines from 2018 to 2022.
Workforce shortages and fewer medical trainees choosing primary care careers are leading to longer wait times and access issues.
Some states are setting benchmarks to boost primary care investment, but national trends show continued marginalization of primary care.

Health Care Cost Institute analysis highlights shrinking investment, wide state...

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