While the function of healthcare is to improve our health, how we pay for healthcare matters. With many Americans experiencing medical debt and many others battling insurance companies to have medications covered, payment is at the backbone of healthcare. Dr. Joshua Liao is the Associate Professor of Medicine and and Associate Chair for Health Systems in the Department of Medicine among other positions he holds at The University of Washington. He is also the founder and director of the Value and Systems Science Lab at UW which aims to bring value into payment and care delivery models. Lastly, he advises policy makers through a number of avenues, including service on the US department of Health and Human Services through his role on PTAC (the physician focused payment model advisory technical committee).

In this episode, we discover the depths of payment for medical services, how preventive services and care might be promoted within a value based payment model, and how to make healthcare more equitable and accessible for those in need. This episode covers a lot and answers many questions about payment in healthcare. The opinions, views, and statements made in this podcast are solely those of Dr. Liao and do not reflect those of his employer or any group he’s affiliated with.