Trend Insurer and provider incentives driving wearable data collection

Summary

The report expects incentives from healthcare providers and insurers to deepen the integration of wearable technology and fitness trackers. That would increase data collection but could also heighten concerns about privacy and data ownership. According to the report, about 21% of US adults regularly used smartwatches or fitness trackers by 2019, so privately collected health data has already grown substantially. The report lists insurer access to shared biological data among its ethical concerns. It also warns that more hacking and information asymmetry could raise insurance prices, and it cites the 2018 Code on Genetic Testing and Insurance as one measure to limit such risks.