Is CMS Google's next takeover target?

Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen has a partnership in place with Verily — Google's life sciences arm — and Biogen's vice president of corporate development and strategy, Adam Koppel, recently weighed in on that partnership and Google's business model, according to MedCityNews.

Biogen develops, markets and manufacturers therapies for people living with serious neurological, autoimmune and rare diseases. Through its partnership with Verily, the company plans to use sensors and data analytics to understand how multiple sclerosis presents itself differently from patient to patient, according to MedCity.

At the recent Harvard Business School Healthcare Conference, Mr. Koppel spoke about the Biogen-Verily partnership and conclusions he has drawn through discussions and data sharing with Google.

Mr. Koppel said Google recognizes that "current payers, using actuarial math — it's like the 19th century." He said the Silicon Valley giant realized it can figure out real-life outcomes in people by pooling big data, according to the report.

"They want to take over CMS," Mr. Koppel said, referring to Google's ambitions. "And they will say that to you."

However, Google faces a challenging quest to become the next CMS, as it will be difficult to get healthcare providers to hand over their data, according to the report.

Mr. Koppel also said Google wants to become a payer — a realistic goal given the company's data-generating partnerships with the life sciences industry and the increasing coordination between patients, providers and payers.

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