LANSING, Mich., Aug. 26, 2026 — State Rep. Dr. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) and legislative and healthcare partners held a press conference today announcing the Primary Care Transformation Package. The bipartisan eight-bill package is designed to increase investments in primary care, expand access and build the healthcare workforce Michigan communities need. The policies respond and provide solutions to persistent gaps in primary care access across Michigan, with shortages spanning 75 of the state’s 83 counties and nearly  one in three Michiganders lacking regular access to primary care.

“Primary care is the foundation of a functioning healthcare system. It’s a well-child visit where mom and baby get the information they need to prevent illness and injury. It’s the family medicine appointment where an older adult shares new concerns, gets their medications sorted out, and receives a referral for a specialist. It’s the annual exam and preventive service which lets someone return to work with less worry and more ability to focus and be productive,” Dr. Longjohn said. “When people cannot access primary care, chronic conditions worsen, preventable illnesses become emergencies, costs rise, and families suffer. Unfortunately, Michigan’s primary care foundation is crumbling, and federal changes to healthcare funding and coverage are only intensifying the strain on patients, providers, and communities. For the health of all Michiganders, we have a responsibility to rebuild and strengthen the front door of our healthcare system by investing in primary care, expanding access, and growing the workforce Michigan needs. This package is a critical step toward making that promise a reality.”

Michigan currently directs less than 6% of its healthcare spending toward primary care. That underinvestment comes as primary care faces growing pressure due to significant pay gaps between primary care and specialty medicine, high medical school debt, limited residency opportunities, an aging workforce and an aging population with increasing healthcare needs.

The consequences are felt across the state: 75 of Michigan’s 83 counties face primary care workforce shortages, and nearly one in three Michiganders lack regular access to primary care. These challenges are especially acute in rural and underserved communities, where recruiting and retaining providers can be particularly difficult.

The Primary Care Transformation Package would:

• Put Michigan on a path to double its investment in primary care over eight years, with a measurable 12% investment target for state-contracted health plans.
• Establish a State Commission on Primary Care Access, Improvement and Transformation to track primary care investment, workforce trends and access gaps; and identify strategies to expand affordable, high-quality care.
• Create an Office of Primary Care Transformation within MDHHS to track investment, implement state priorities, provide technical assistance and support grants and pilot programs.
• Codify MiDOCS in state law to recruit and retain primary care physicians in underserved communities, expand residency opportunities and improve program oversight.
• Establish MiNURSES to recruit and retain primary care nurses in underserved communities through loan repayment assistance, scholarships and ongoing program oversight.
• Provide tax credits to primary care preceptors who train and mentor future healthcare providers, helping expand hands-on clinical training opportunities.
• Create grants for Michigan medical schools to introduce middle and high school students to healthcare careers through hands-on experiences and pathways into the healthcare workforce.
• Create MEDSS, a state-backed loan program to help Michigan students pursuing primary care careers continue their graduate health education after reaching the federal student loan cap.

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