Survey: 56% of Physicians Concerned About Sunshine Act

A poll of 50,000 specialists and primary care physicians reveals that more than half of them — 56 percent — are concerned about the pending Physician Payments Sunshine Act.

The Act requires pharmaceutical, medical device and other supply manufacturers to report payments made to physicians and teaching hospitals. Additionally, it mandates the reporting of financial relationships between physicians, manufacturers and group purchasing organizations. Under the proposed rule, the definition of GPOs includes physician-owned distributorships

Violators of the Sunshine Act will be subject to civil monetary penalties under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — up to $150,000 annually for failing to report and up to $1 million for knowingly failing to report.

Portsmouth, N.H-based software company MMIS, which provides compliance software for the healthcare industry, conducted the physician survey.

CMS was supposed to issue a mandate to begin collecting information for the Sunshine Act by June, but announced delays in order to prepare for data submission.  

Sixty-one percent of physicians polled would prefer access to an online portal to view spending prior to having financial relationships disclosed to the public.

More Articles on the Sunshine Act:

Senators Ask CMS to Start Sunshine Act Data Collection by June
CMS Publishes Proposed Rule for Physician Payments Sunshine Act
CMS Publishes Proposed Rule for Physician Payments Sunshine Act

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