“Over the past decade, healthcare providers and health insurance companies have been in a consolidation arms race, as providers have merged and formed healthcare networks to better negotiate with health insurance companies, which have grown rapidly.”

“The blue chips of Silicon Valley — Amazon, Apple, Google, Uber — have announced in the past few weeks they’re interested in disrupting an industry that has bedeviled us with rising costs and inefficiencies for decades.”

“From 2012 to 2017, the number of deals involving retail health companies—those that operate freestanding health-related outlets like dental clinics or urgent care facilities—has soared, increasing at a compound annual rate of 34% in the North American market.”

"Health care spending in the United States greatly exceeds that in other wealthy countries, but the U.S. does not achieve better health outcomes."

“Medical prices are expected to increase more rapidly after historically low growth in 2015 of 0.8 percent to nearly 3 percent by 2025.”

“The companies said the venture would be ‘free from profit-making incentives and constraints’ and would develop technological solutions to provide simplified, high-quality health care for their hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers.”

“Gawande said the venture will seek to target three kinds of waste in the health-care system: administrative costs, high prices, and improper health-care usage.”

“[The deal] might provide cheaper, better care for all Americans while facing fewer political hurdles and requiring fewer jarring changes to the system.”

“Employers – even big ones like Amazon – can’t solve our Category 5 cost crisis because they’re actually supporting highly inflated (and federally subsidized) commercial pricing.”

“While the three companies bring successful management, technological expertise and substantial capital to the venture, many health industry experts expressed doubts about whether their results would match their ambition.”

“The acquisition adds to recent moves by Amazon to wade deeper into health care, from pushing supplies for hospitals to helping form a nonprofit aimed at addressing rising costs.”

“In the future, patients could log into their Amazon accounts to track their prescription history, helping them better track their own health care.”

“The proposed deal is the latest and most dramatic sign of how the lines between traditional segments in health care are blurring as companies, saddled with mature businesses and in many cases restricted from buying rivals, enter new areas in search of growth.”

“The AMA has come to the conclusion that this merger would likely substantially lessen competition in many health care markets, to the detriment of patients.”

CVS Health CEO Larry Merlo said, “We're pleased with how that's all progressing, and we expect the transaction to close later this year.”

“CVS Health has agreed to buy Aetna for about $69 billion. The merger, if completed, would be the largest health insurance deal on record and would combine the biggest US drugstore chain with the third-largest health insurer.”

“Through the proposed merger, CVS would become a one-stop shop for healthcare services, providing a template for future deals. That could all lead to greater consolidation in the healthcare services sector, and, ironically, toward a free market version of a single payer-like system.”

“The idea that price competition will protect consumers of health services is laughable.”

“Three important efficiencies promised by this merger are obvious: a reduction in the cost of clinical care and emergency room visits, improved care coordination for patients and an increase in the customer base for the CVS MinuteClinic walk-in system for basic care.”

“A Walmart-Humana deal could potentially transform the health care market for seniors, a demographic that is critical for both companies.”

“Walmart has its work cut out for it with a Humana deal. But the strategic rationale is there, and the financials aren’t too disconcerting.”

“One obvious rationale lies beneath these talks: Retailers have an urgent need to maintain foot traffic. Pharmacies can help.”

“There is an undeniable synergy between health care companies and retailers.”

“Nearly 20% of Americans live in areas without sufficient access to primary care doctors, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.”

“The Humana-Walgreens clinics, which will open this fall, will complement Walgreens pharmacy services and Humana’s Partners in Primary Care centers that opened last year in Kansas City, the companies have said said.”

“While small, the experiment could help Walgreens posture itself to care for seniors in more ways than it currently does through its pharmacies. Serving the elderly is an increasingly important battleground for health-care companies as baby boomers age.”

“Apple is preparing to launch a network of medical clinics for its employees and their families, in what could be a way for the tech company to test out its broader ambitions in healthcare.”

“Most of the team hired so far aren't doctors. In fact, the hires skew toward wellness professionals like nutritionists, exercise specialists and nurse practitioners.”

“Employers are offering more complete employee coverage, such as health and wellness programs that can save money on care further down the road.”

“The partnership and its results will not solve all our health care problems. But they could really shake things up. And that is what the U.S. health system needs.”

“Over 100 healthcare organizations in the U.S, including hospitals, clinics, rehab centers, senior care facilities, home care centers, and physical therapy centers have started using Uber Health in a beta test of the new system.

“We’re seeing major consumer companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon investing in healthcare, national shopping chains opening retail clinics, health systems opening grocery stores and pharmaceutical companies developing apps for patients to track symptoms and improve compliance.”

"Consumers are starting to exert their power by making more demands on the health care provider-patient relationship and expecting to be treated in much the same way they are accustomed to being treated in their daily interactions with retailers."

“Consolidation often limits competition, and when that happens in market-based systems especially the result, says good research, is often that the cost of health care goes up.”

“As the online retailer expands into new industries — cloud computing, drones, tech gadgets, moviemaking and now health care — some privacy experts say the company’s increasingly dominant role in our lives raises concerns about how personal data is collected and used.”

“Is the doctor in? In this new medical age of urgent care centers and retail clinics, that’s not a simple question.”

“With the bar set fairly low for in-person interaction, something like a walk-in clinic—where you won’t know the doctor but you’ll at least get fairly quick service—becomes more appealing.”

“Will the benefits of making data more widely available outweigh such risks? The signs are that they will.”

“These companies are all sophisticated, data-centric organizations looking to transform every part of the health care ecosystem. Even supply chains, with companies like Amazon in the fray, will be disrupted.”

“Although there are many winners in the pharmaceutical market, to date there is only one clear loser: our patients.”