The QMN Weekly Bulletin

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is sparing drug manufacturers and group purchasing organizations (GPO) from reporting payments made to doctors and hospitals in 2012 as the agency continues to lag behind deadlines for issuing final Sunshine Act regulations. Data collection is now expected to begin in January 2013.

CMS needs additional time to address the hundreds of stakeholder comments on the December 2011 proposed rule, the agency said. While it plans to issue the final rule this year, it won’t be able to provide industry with adequate time to prepare for 2012 data submission.

The Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, applies to manufacturers of drugs, biologics and medical supplies covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. CMS will collect and publicly display physician payment data from these companies.
The final rule will be crafted with important transparency provisions surrounding data collection and to address operational and implementation issues. And with hefty ‘failure to comply’ fines of up to $1 million, it’s time to take this VERY seriously.

Don’t let the Sunshine Act turn into a black cloud above your company, register today for FDAnews’ Physician Payment Sunshine Act New January 1, 2013 Compliance Deadline — Will You Be Ready? webinar May 23.

This webinar will give you an in-depth look at what device and pharmaceutical companies need to learn now and how to participate and comply with the CMS Sunshine Act. There’s no need to debate, register for this webinar today and participate right from your office!