All-Payer Claims Databases (APCDs) provide policymakers with the data needed to measure primary care spending, establish investment benchmarks, and inform health system reform.

Several states use their APCDs to measure primary care spending, support payment reform, inform workforce planning, and strengthen public accountability. However, APCDs can vary in their transparency, usability, and ability to provide policymakers with actionable data. These differences can create barriers to accessing the information needed to advance primary care investment, underscoring that APCDs should be considered one component of a broader primary care investment policy.

This report offers six policy recommendations:

1. Prioritize transparency as a core design feature of APCDs.
2. Invest in usability and accessibility of APCD data.
3. Align APCD infrastructure with primary care spending targets and broader policy goals.
4. Incorporate non-claims payment data to capture true primary care investment.
5. Recognize that APCDs are valuable but not strictly necessary for primary care investment policy.
6. Ensure sustainable funding and governance to support long-term APCD effectiveness.

This report reflects insights from members of the Primary Care Investment Network, whose expertise helped inform the report’s analysis and recommendations.

This report is made possible by funding from the Commonwealth Fund and support from the Milbank Memorial Fund.