Letter: Rebuilding trust in primary care starts with fair pay

In McHenry County and across the U.S., independent primary care physicians play a vital role in keeping families healthy and out of the hospital. Yet private insurers have begun quietly down coding routine office visits, reducing payments without even reviewing the records.

This isn’t just an administrative inconvenience – it’s a direct hit on the sustainability of local, community-based medicine. These small clinics manage chronic illness, monitor mental health and build relationships with families over generations.

If we want to keep that tradition alive, we must stop treating primary care as an afterthought. We urge policymakers and payers to look beyond spreadsheets and recognize the long-term value we provide.

Luis Salazar, M.D.

Gurnee