This report published by The Commonwealth Fund examines the effect that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will have on efficiency and modernization in our health care system, resulting in significant national savings.  

From the executive summary: 

This report, originally published in December 2009 and since updated to reflect the March 2010 passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, analyzes the provisions in the new law that will affect providers' financial incentives, the organization and delivery of health care services, investment in prevention and population health, and the capacity to achieve the best health care and health outcomes for all. Major initiatives include establishment of health insurance exchanges and new market rules, creation of an Independent Payment Advisory Board and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and introduction of payment policies designed to reward hospitals and physicians for value rather than volume. Recent analysis shows that these provisions have the potential to reduce administrative expenses and lead to significant modernization of the health care system, lowering the rate of cost growth and returning total national savings of $590 billion or more in the coming decade. 

Full Report: Starting on the Path to a High Performance Health System: Analysis of the Payment and System Reform Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PDF | 2.1MB)   

The Commonwealth Fund. (2010). Starting on the path to a high performance health system: analysis of the payment and system reform provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Davis, K., Guterman, S., Collins, S., Stremikis, K., Rustgi, S., and Nuzum, R.