Per the 2024 recommendation of the Virginia Task Force on Primary Care (Task Force), the Virginia Center for Health Innovation (VCHI) launched the Research Consortium at VCHI. This Consortium was established to enable the Task Force and VCHI to produce timely, rigorous, and actionable research for the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and other state partners to guide primary care and health policy.

Following the appropriation of funds and execution of contracts with DMAS in May 2025, the Research Consortium, on behalf of the Task Force, has provided eight individual research products to the Department to support Medicaid policy in primary care. As of July 1, 2025, these include:

1. A status report on a Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) alternative payment model aimed at integrating behavioral health and primary care for children and adolescents (Primary Pathways)

2. A detailed analysis plan for an evaluation of the Primary Pathways alternative payment model, including implementation barriers and facilitators as well as patient and cost outcomes

3. An analysis of types of insurance accepted for behavioral health and by primary care providers in Virginia who accept any insurance

4. An analysis of variation in payment rates across MCOs for key primary care and behavioral health services

5. A comparison of covered primary care services for Medicare and Virginia Medicaid

6. A landscape review of key Medicaid authorities and policies used by other state Medicaid programs to promote sustainable, high-quality primary care

7. Analyses of primary care expenditures in Virginia, comparing Medicaid to other payers

8. A landscape review and high-level proposal for a primary care spend target policy

In addition to producing these eight reports, the Research Consortium has made strategic investments to ensure ongoing, long-term ability to conduct primary care research to guide Medicaid policy. These investments include:

• Establishing a new data enclave to provide access to rich, timely data,
• Contracting with new data suppliers,
• Hiring a full-time staff member,
• Establishing a Research Executive Board,
• Securing nine Consortium sponsors,
• Establishing formal partnerships with four Virginia research entities
• Disseminating findings to state and national audiences to guide Medicaid primary care initiatives

These efforts collectively strengthen Virginia’s ability to develop evidence-based Medicaid policies that support high-quality primary care.