The Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PDF) is designed to increase transparency around the financial relationships (PDF) between physicians, teaching hospitals and manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and biologics. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fulfills the law’s mandate via the Open Payments Program.
Manufacturers now must submit annual data on payment and transfers of value made to covered recipients. Physicians have 45 days to review their Open Payments data and dispute errors before public release. If the deadline is not met, physicians can still review and dispute errors and corrections will appear in the database’s next scheduled update.
Review Open Payments data
- Step 1: Complete an e-verification process by logging into the CMS Enterprise Portal (EIDM).
- Step 2: Register in the Open Payments Program.
- Step 3: Review and dispute data by Dec. 31 of the current year.
Share your experiences: Please let us know how your registration goes with the Open Payments Program by sending an email to O[email protected]. Responses will be used in the AMA's ongoing advocacy efforts.
Keep track
CMS created a free smartphone app for Apple® and Android platforms. To protect the privacy of the captured data, information will be stored on one device and cannot be backed up to a cloud or other devices. Physicians should also urge their industry contacts to use the app so they can capture the necessary information to ensure accurate reporting.
Read history
For background on this advocacy work, read the AMA letters on this topic.
Follow the fight for Medicare reform
Stay up to date on how the AMA is fighting to reform the Medicare payment system for physicians—delivered to your inbox.
Contact information
Learn about what is being reported, who has to report, what categories are being reported and more through the CMS Enterprise Portal.
CMS Open Payments Program Help Desk
(855) 326-8366
[email protected]
