OREANDA-NEWS. September 11, 2015. According to healthcare consultant Avalere, innovation and new technology are changing health care in two significant ways: increasing competition and creating better pathways for sharing information across health systems. The new research was funded by Aetna and examines the breadth and depth of new entrants across insurance marketplaces, including Medicare Advantage, public exchanges, and employer-sponsored insurance, and how that growth is translating into better care for individuals and families.

Among findings in the new study, Avalere reported that “since enactment of the ACA, policymakers have tested and instituted a number of reforms, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) and incentive payments to primary care physicians for coordinating care. In many areas throughout the country, these reforms are transforming fee-for-service Medicare into a value-based program. As a result, many providers are testing some of the same care coordination and management features as Medicare Advantage plans.”  In other words, as new health care delivery models are tested (and proven) in one setting, the positive results are encouraging innovation in other areas.