As part of healthcare reform's initiative to lower the cost of healthcare, the Independent Payment Advisory Board and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute were formed to make decisions about the procedures Medicare will cover. IPAB will develop proposals guiding Medicare as to which treatment methods are necessary and acceptable for coverage while PCORI is charged with conducing evidence-based research for patients and physicians to enhance treatment pathways. Both IPAB and PCORI are led by a small number of people consisting of select medical and non-medical professionals.

Small medical device companies are bypassing expensive sales tactics by offering big discounts on orthopedic devices to remain competitive in the market, according to a Wall Street Journal report.