Dive Brief:
- CMS is collecting stakeholder feedback for possible updates to the controversial Open Payments program to better ensure data transparency and accuracy.
- The agency has announced a Special Open Door Forum via conference call next Tuesday, August 2 from 1:30-3:00 pm EST to help inform a future rulemaking.
- Stakeholders can also submit written comments through Sept. 6 via the docket for the 2017 Medicare physician payment proposed rule.
Dive Insight:
The Open Payments policy, mandated under the Affordable Care Act, aims to promote transparency and accountability in the healthcare industry by publicly posting data that reveals manufacturers' payments to physicians and teaching hospitals. However, the policy has taken heat from the AMA over arguments that errors and technical challenges that have prevented some from physicians from participating or validating data.
The recently released CMS report for 2015 -- the second year of disclosures -- indicated physicians and teaching hospitals had received $7.52 billion that year from manufacturers, to which the AMA responded that the publishing of inaccurate data undermines patient trust and discourages research that may benefit patients.
“We have identified areas in the rule that might benefit from revision,” the CMS stated. “Stakeholder feedback is important as we move forward in enhancing our system and refining our reporting requirements.”
Among those areas targeted for revision, Modern Healthcare reported, include how manufacturers may be able to pre-vet transactions with providers to ensure validity, and how to handle reporting and tracking in cases of mergers and acquisitions.