The Sunshine Act: Providers Should Correct Disputed 2013 Open Payments Data By October 31st

On September 30, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the first round of “open payments” data pursuant to the Sunshine Act. Currently, the Open Payments Program lists data on consulting fees, research grants, travel reimbursements, and other gifts the healthcare industry provided to physicians and teaching hospitals during the last five months of 2013. The intention behind the program is to provide consumers with greater transparency of the financial relationships between physicians and healthcare manufacturers and companies.

Providers may submit corrections to disputed data at any time. However, for the corrections to be reflected in the next publication to occur on or before December 31, 2014, providers must submit corrections by close of business on Friday, October 31, 2014. Step-by-step instructions for the data correction process can be found on the Quick Reference Guide: Industry Record Review and Dispute Instructions.

For more information about this topic, please contact Clinton Mikel, Esq., at (248) 996-8510.