August 11, 2025
In late July, NCAFP Exec. VP and CEO Greg Griggs spoke on the state of primary care in North Carolina at an artificial intelligence (AI) panel organized by the NC Association of Health Plans. Attendees at the meeting, which was held at the NC Medical Society, included state lawmakers, a representative from Google, representatives from Lumeris, commercial and Medicaid health plans, the NC Pediatric Society, and other health care associations.
During his comments, Greg stressed the importance of developing AI tools that will serve the needs of primary care. He specifically discussed the potential for reducing administrative burden for family physicians and other clinicians through time-saving documentation tools. To support the Academy’s reasoning, Greg referenced the recent findings from our “Meaningful Work in Family Medicine” research. “We need AI solutions that support the meaningful work that family physicians do,” Greg said, “like giving them more control over their clinical time and deepening the relationships they enjoy with their patients.”
Earlier this month, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) shared its statement on the proposed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Medicare physician fee schedule: “The AAFP is encouraged by proposed changes in the 2026 Medicare physician fee schedule that would help build a stronger, more sustainable health care system.”
The statement describes the modernization changes and updated billing codes that CMS proposed. It also describes the new conversion factor: “The AAFP also welcomes proposed increases to the Medicare conversion factor—3.8% for participants in qualifying alternative payment models and 3.6% for others—but notes that these are largely due to a one-year statutory increase. Without a long-term fix, practices continue to face renewed financial strain in 2027.” In response, the AAFP calls for federal lawmakers to enact a permanent annual inflationary adjustment to Medicare payments. They are already advocating in Congress to make this change happen, and we will keep you updated on their progress.
Read the AAFP statement to learn more.
In addition, the AAFP joined over 100 health organizations in a joint letter urging lawmakers to protect the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The letter states, “It is critical that Congress protects the integrity of the USPSTF from intentional or unintentional political interference.”
The USPSTF makes recommendations for national primary care and disease prevention through a rigorous review process. Its recommendations include steps for cancer screening, mental health counseling, vision exams, and other forms of care. “The USPSTF’s transparent, rigorous and scientifically independent process ensures that patients can benefit from trusted, evidence-based preventive care, and that physicians can make up-to-date recommendations,” the letter states. “Recent actions by the Department of Health and Human Services have put that at risk.”
Specifically, the June 27 Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Braidwood reemphasized the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary’s role to appoint and remove Task Force members at will. That’s why the joint letters argues that key USPSTF policies remain in place in the face of likely HHS action. “The loss of trustworthiness in the rigorous and nonpartisan work of the Task Force would devastate patients, hospital systems, and payers as misinformation creates barriers to accessing lifesaving and cost effective care,” the letter states.
Read the entire joint letter to learn more.
