Value-based care was supposed to fix one of the biggest problems in American healthcare: the system gets paid for activity, not necessarily outcomes.

Instead of rewarding more visits, more tests, and more procedures, value-based care promised to reward better results: healthier patients, fewer complications, better coordination, and less unnecessary care.

But has it actually changed the system?

In this episode of Reimagine Healthcare, Noah Volz looks at the promise and limits of value-based care — and why so many patients still feel like nothing has changed.

For a patient in Medford with chronic back pain, the visit may look exactly the same: intake forms, vitals, a short conversation, a care plan, and a follow-up. Behind the scenes, the clinic may be part of an Accountable Care Organization, measured on q ...