Primary Care Champion: Peter Long, Blue Shield of California

The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) is delighted to honor Peter Long, Blue Shield of California Chief Strategy Officer & EVP for Health Solutions and PCC Board Member, as its latest Primary Care Champion. Long has spent more than 40 years advocating for primary care — starting decades ago when he worked across the hall from the "godmother of primary care", Barbara Starfield.

Long outlined the conceptual challenge facing primary care where it is seen as a commodity rather than foundational.

Long also discussed how Blue Shield of California is reimagining primary care through a four-part approach: simplifying performance measures, adopting a hybrid payment model, increasing investment in primary care, and providing practice support. Collaborating with other major health plans, they aim to enhance primary care access and quality in California.

Long then emphasized that stable revenue is crucial for health care practices, especially since many operate on thin margins. He advocated for a hybrid payment model that combines predictable per-member payments with fee-for-service incentives for essential services. This approach—which Blue Shield has started to implement—has received positive feedback from clinicians and has resulted in a 7-9% reduction in total care costs, demonstrating that certainty and flexibility can enhance patient outcomes.

In addition to the solutions that he had already laid out, Long encouraged policymakers to provide clear outcome measures to define success in health care and ensure flexibility from health plans to support improvement. He advocated for policies that encourage innovation, like virtual care, while adapting solutions to different geographic needs.

Finally, when asked about changing one thing in American health care, Long said he would make primary care universally accessible.