California’s health care system faces significant challenges, including provider shortages and unequal access to care, particularly in rural areas and among underserved communities. Investing in primary care is crucial to address these issues and improve health outcomes for all Californians.

In this explainer, policymakers, health care leaders, and state administration leaders can learn:

1. Why strengthening the primary care workforce matters for the health care delivery of all Californians. California is projected to face a shortage of over 4,000 primary care providers within the next decade. This shortage disproportionately affects Latino/x, Black, and Native American communities, with 11.4 million Californians living in Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas.
2. What primary care investment looks like today. Despite evidence showing robust primary care leads to better health outcomes and lower costs, primary care receives only 5 cents of every health care dollar spent in the U.S.
3. How to enhance access and quality of primary care. Insured Californians with a primary care provider report fewer barriers to care, engage in more preventive health behaviors, and have better experiences with the health care system. Yet, having health care insurance does not guarantee access to primary care, and Californians’ access to health care is in jeopardy because of the primary care workforce shortage.

By focusing on these areas in primary care, California can create a more equitable, efficient, and effective health care system that puts patients at the center of care and improves health outcomes for all residents.