Banner Health, Aetna reach for ACO gold

Aetna recently announced an agreement with Banner Health Network (BHN) to provide technology that will support a health information exchange, improve patient data analytics, and add mobile connectivity. The May 10 announcement comes as the Banner Health Network transitions into an accountable care organization (ACO) through the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization initiative. To advance its ACO goals, Banner will adopt technology and services from Medicity, ActiveHealth, and iTriage—all Aetna subsidiaries. The technology will support services offered to the 50,000 Medicare fee-for-service patients covered under the Pioneer ACO shared savings program as well as to the members in Aetna's ACO relationship with Banner Health Network.