$IFIX  Medicare is no longer reimbursing implants separately and is now paying one reduced global fee. Private insurance companies are following suit or lowering implant reimbursement rates. These changes in the reimbursement and the purchasing environment demonstrates an increased need for lower cost alternative products that IFS providesIn the past, surgeons would request products they wanted regardless of their price. Many surgeons were not aware of the costs. In this new environment, the decision making process is shared, and surgeons are included in product purchasing decisions. More and more, purchasing managers are requiring value analysis studies to be completed on products before the facility accepts them, indicating that price has become an important consideration when approving vendors.