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6002 - Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests

 
Implementation Status 
Statutory Text 

Summary

Effective March 31, 2013, and on the 90th day of each CY thereafter, requires drug, device, biological, or medical supply manufactures that provide payment or other transfer of value to a physician and/or teaching hospital to submit (in electronic form) mandated information to HHS, including the name of the covered recipient; the amount of the payment or other transfer of value; a description of the nature (e.g., gift, food, entertainment) and form (e.g., cash, stock, in-kind items) of the payment or other transfer of value and so forth.  Requires applicable manufacturers and GPOs to disclose in the same manner as enumerated above certain information pertaining to physician ownership by the March 31, 2013 deadline (and as specified above thereafter).

Delineates specified minimum and maximum civil monetary penalties (CMPs) for non-compliance for failure (including knowing failure) to report and requires HHS to promulgate regulations to this effect.  Provides for the public disclosure of such reported data no later than September 30, 2013 and on June 30 of each CY thereafter.  Requires HHS to submit an annual report to Congress by April 1, 2013 of each year beginning in 2013, and to furthermore submit annual reports to states beginning September 30, 2013 and on June 30 of each CY thereafter. Preempts state and local laws that are duplicative in scope, with certain exceptions.

Last updated: (August 3, 2016)  

Implementation Status

 
Summary 
Statutory Text 

Prior to January 2013, CMS engaged in stakeholder discussions on this provision (see the March 24, 2011 CMS call agenda) and released a proposal in December 2011 relative to its implementation.  The official website for the National Physician Payment Transparency Program: OPEN Payments is here.

2013

On February 1, 2013, CMS issued a final rule implementing the requirements delineated at this section.  For compliance purposes, per the final rule, applicable manufacturers and GPOs must begin to collect the required data on August 1, 2013 and report the data to CMS by March 31, 2014.  A CMS press release is available here.

As a follow-up to CMS’ final rule on the National Physician Payment Transparency Program, or the “Physician Payment Sunshine Rule,” which the agency released on February 1, CMS on April 11, 2013,  released a variety of fact sheets clarifying aspects of this policy. To view these fact sheets, click here under the “Downloads” section of CMS’ Open Payments (Sunshine) Website.

On May 22, 2013, CMS held a national provider call regarding the Open Payments initiative pursuant to the “Physician Sunshine Act” provisions of this section.  Details of this call are available here. A May 15th Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters article on these provisions is available here.

As part of broader health care pricing transparency effort, CMS on June 3 announced the release of new national and state-level hospital outpatient charge data (see here), data that are intended to build-upon last month’s release of hospital inpatient charge data.  A CMS press release is available here.

On July 17, 2013, CMS announced the release of two new voluntary applications (apps) to help physicians and applicable entities track payment information for purposes of complying with the transparency reporting mandate under this provision.  See the “Open Payments” (Physician Payments Sunshine Act) portion of the website for details (here).

Also, on July 22, 2013, CMS published an information collection regarding the reporting requirements and processes under this provision of the law; comments are due September 20, 2013.  Finally, a CMS provider education call on “Open Payments” is planned for August 8, 2013; for details and registration, please see here.  CMS also continues to post updated FAQs regarding implementation of this program here.

In August 2013, CMS announced the availability of several new educational resources to assist applicable manufacturers, GPOs, as well as physicians and patients, in understanding the requirements of the OPEN PAYMENTS program being conducted by CMS pursuant to this section of the law.  See here and here, for example.   CMS also posted new FAQs regarding OPEN PAYMENTS topics (see here); posted information pertaining to Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities as part of the OPEN PAYMENTS initiative (see here and here; free Medscape registration required); released data submission file specifications for 2013 (see here); and created mobile apps to assist the industry and physicians with payment tracking under the OPEN PAYMENTS program (see here).

In October, CMS announced the availability of the 2014 Teaching Hospital List for purposes of use under the OPEN PAYMENTS physician-industry transparency program.

In November 2013, HHS announced a Dec. 3 follow-up session on the OPEN PAYMENTS registration and data submission process is scheduled.  Registration here.

On December 30, 2013, CMS announced a number of enhancements to the Open Payments mobile applications as well as updated data submission resources; details here and provider education article here.

2014

On January 6, 2014, CMS issued a proposed rule delineating Contract Year 2015 MA and Part D policy and technical changes. The rule proposes, among other things, to limit and redefine, based on new criteria, Part D’s protected drug classes to initially include anticonvulsants, antiretrovirals and antineoplastics — but not antidepressants and immunosuppressants – as “drug categories and classes of clinical concern” for the 2015 coverage year. The rule addresses each of these provisions of the ACA in some manner. A CMS fact sheet is available.

In a February 7, 2014 CMS blog post, the agency released greater detail regarding applicable drug and device manufacturers’ and GPOs’ registration and data submission under the Sunshine Act’s Open Payments program that began on February 18. This will be followed by a second phase of more detailed data submission in May 2014. The agency notes that “both phases of data submission will be complete by August 1, and at that time healthcare providers and manufacturers will have an opportunity to review and correct inaccuracies”; more information on this review and corrections process is anticipated in the spring. CMS will post the data online by September 30. Also, in late February, CMS posted several resources to assist industry with Open Payments registration and data submission. Specifically, these include a Step-by-Step Guide: Industry Data Registration & Data Submission and a sample, Excel-based template for use during Phase 1 aggregate data submission that began on February 18. The agency also has updated FAQs on a dedicated Open Payments page and indicates that newly posted items address, for example, “how consolidated reports are not accepted in Phase 1” (see here). Additionally, on February 25, the agency hosted a webinar to convey more details on this information; details here. CMS also posted a MLN Matters article regarding updated Mobile Applications (Apps) for Open Payments.

On March 10, 2014, the Administration informed top Congressional leaders that it will not finalize some of the key changes to Part D that it had proposed in a draft regulation issued January 10. The elements of the Proposed Rule that the Administration will not finalize include: (1) Changes to the Six Protected Classes, which would have excluded mental health and immunosuppressive drugs from these protections (such as a requirement that plans cover all drugs in these classes), among other revisions; (2) Reductions in the number of plans a Part D sponsor may offer; (3) Limitations on the use of preferred pharmacies; and (4) New interpretation of the non-interference provisions. The Administration notes it will gather additional input and effectively reserves the right to advance changes in these areas in future years. But no changes will be made for the CY15 plan year. It will move forward with other elements of the Rule, as discussed in the Administration’s letter to Congressional members. A copy of the letter is available externally here.

In mid-March, CMS posted new resources to its Open Payments website regarding information to assist entities in Phase 1 registration and data submission. See here. The agency also posted here a side-by-side table that distills the key differences between Phases 1 and 2 of Open Payments reporting for manufacturers and GPOs, addressing FAQs as they relate to each of the phases.

On a related note, on April 9, 2014, CMS posted a data set containing submitted charge and billing data for 880,000 Medicare physicians and other professionals receiving Part B payments in 2012. The data, which also include procedures and services furnished, are available here. Also see a CMS press release and blog post, as well as an earlier blog post from April 2 regarding a newly-in-effect policy on FOIA requests. On April 23, as announced in an agency blog post, CMS released an interactive search tool enabling users to search for individual physician and other practitioners’ Medicare payment and procedure data by name, address or NPI. The tool provides more targeted access to the broader data released by the agency on April 9 via a specific provider look-up function that displays average payment/charges for services, number of beneficiaries treated and other information.

On May 19, 2014, CMS issued a final rule on MA and Part D contract year 2015 technical changes. While the final rule codifies a number of fraud and abuse-related proposals, as signaled in an earlier letter to Congress the final rule does not adopt controversial proposed modifications to Part D protected drug classes or limitations on offering more than two Part D plans in a given region. The rule addresses each of these provisions of the ACA in some manner. A fact sheet is available here.

On May 1, CMS announced that physicians and teaching hospitals may begin voluntarily registering with via the agency’s Enterprise Portal on June 1, with phase 2 beginning in July. The process will enable them to review industry-submitted data about payments and transfers in advance of public disclosure.

On May 5, CMS issued an information collection pertaining to the addition of a dispute resolution and corrections component to a broader information collection request under the Open Payments initiative for drug and device manufacturer, as well as GPO reporting of payments and transfers to physicians and teaching hospitals. CMS notes that it is re-submitting the full information collection for OMB review, while “specifically seeking comments on the dispute resolution and comment process.” Comments are due by June 2, 2014.

On May 7, CMS issued refined Open Payments Phase 2 submission resources as well as a new tutorial. Specifically, a summary of how documents were refined is available here; also see a summary specific to modifications to the XML schema. The agency posted the revised Submission Data Mapping Document (Excel file) and XML Schema Definition (XSD document: ZIP file). Also see a video tutorial, “Phase 2 CSV and XML Tutorial: Preparing Data Files for Submission” (available here).

CMS plans to hold an Open Payments stakeholder call for physicians and teaching hospitals on June 12; details here.

In June 2014, as underscored in an edition of CMS’ MLN Connects (available here), the agency recently issued an “extensively updated” Open Payments User Guide that aims to serve as a central resource for industry, physicians, and teaching hospitals in order to comply with the Open Payments (the Sunshine Act).

On July 2, CMS issued its CY15 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule delineating a number of payment policies impacting over one million physicians and other practitioners paid under the MPFS each year. The proposed rule also sets payment policies for the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) and other Part B payments for the upcoming year. These key ACA provisions are addressed in the underlying rule. See also: CMS’ accompanying facts sheets on the rule (here and here). Comments are due by September 2, 2014.

On July 22, CMS held a national provider call to discuss the registration, review, and dispute process under the Open Payments initiative. More information about these respective processes – including key dates and reminder information – is provided here.

On August 7, CMS posted the audio recording and transcript for the July 22 call on Open Payments (audio, transcript).

On August 15, CMS announced that after taking the system offline on August 3 to address technical problems, it has reopened the Open Payments registration, review and dispute period for physicians and teaching hospitals.

Key timeline considerations include:

CMS notes that “after the close of the 45-day period, industry will have an additional 15 days to resolve remaining disputes directly with the physician and teaching hospital and re-report any data that is changed.” This corrections period now will run from September 9 through September 23 (instead of the originally slated August 28-September 11).

CMS indicates that the Open Payments (Sunshine Act) website, implemented through the ACA, will be accessible to the public on September 30 as originally planned.

Physicians and teaching hospitals now will have until September 8 to review financial information submitted by manufacturers and group purchasing organizations, extended from August 27 to account for the system downtime and provide the indicated 45 days for the data review/dispute process.

For the latest update on the Open Payments website, slated to launch on Sept. 30 (and the corresponding data correction period), see here.

On Sept. 29, CMS announced the launch of the Open Payments website as specified under the ACA’s Sunshine Act provisions. Note also an Open Payments fact sheet, available here, delineating 2013 Open Payments data from the September 2014 publication.

In early October, CMS outlined here the process by which applicable manufacturers and GPOs are to correct disputed 2013 Open Payments data by October 31, 2014 for data to be published on or before December 31, 2014.

On Oct. 31, CMS posted the CY 15 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule with comment (fact sheet) addressing a number of ACA provisions related to physician payment and quality. Citing the April 1 doc fix, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014, CMS notes that a 0.0% update applies between Jan. 1, 2015, and March 31, 2015, for a conversion factor (CF) of $35.8013 during that period (after budget neutrality adjustments). The SGR calculation applies thereafter (April 1, 2015-Dec. 31, 2015), with the final rule conveying a 21.2% payment reduction for this period relative to the CY14 CF, with a CF of $28.2239.

2015

On Jan. 8, CMS announced that its Open Payments System will be unavailable through late January 2015 due to system enhancements and preparations for the 2014 program year.

On Mar. 8, CMS opened registration for the Open Payments system. See announcement here.

On Mar. 9, CMS released new and revised FAQs to the Open Payments website.

On Mar. 13, CMS extended the deadline for data submissions for the Physician-owned Hospital Annual Ownership Investment Report. CMS noted that it “will provide additional information regarding the revised deadline, specific instructions for submitting the report, and the timeframe during which the report can be submitted.” See MLN Connects announcement here.

On Mar. 19, CMS announced a national provider call to be held on Apr. 15 to provide an overview of the Open Payments national transparency program

On May 13, the HHS OIG released report(summary) that reviewed Home Health Agency (HHA) practices for conducting background checks of their employees. OIG sampled data from 99 HHAs on their background check procedures for all employees, and found that all sampled HHAs conducted background checks of varying degrees and that roughly half of HHAs sampled conducted regular periodic background checks on existing employees.

On June 30, CMS published 17 months’ worth of financial disclosures on its open payments website for certain providers and drug and device manufacturers and group purchasing organizations. The data covers about 11.4 million financial transactions, worth $6.5 billion, to more than 600,000 physicians and more than 1,100 teaching hospitals.

2016

On Feb. 25, CMS released a reminder for registration for the Open Payments system. The review and dispute period is expected to begin April 2016.

On Apr. 14, CMS announced that doctors and teaching hospitals have the chance to review and dispute the information shared about them before the new and updated Open Payments data is posted on June 30, 2016. The data to be posted on June 30th is available for review through May 15, 2016.

On July 7, CMS released its calendar year (CY) 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule delineating wide-ranging Medicare Part B policies that would take effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The proposed rule also would expand the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Model, require transparency of certain Medicare Advantage (MA) data, continue the implementation of appropriate use criteria for advanced diagnostic imaging services, and make selected refinements to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, among other policies.

November: As part of the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule released on Nov. 2, CMS considered 95 relevant public comments regarding policy and operational issues related to the Open Payments Program. While CMS did not propose or finalize any changes to the Open Payments Program in this rulemaking, it noted that it would consider the comments received in the future through possible rulemaking or publication of subregulatory guidance.

2017 

On June 30, CMS published Open Payments data for the Program Year 2016.  The agency also updated payment records with newly submitted data for Program Years 2013 – 2015.

Statutory Text

 
Implementation Status 
Summary 

SEC. 6002. TRANSPARENCY REPORTS AND REPORTING OF PHYSICIAN OWNERSHIP OR INVESTMENT INTERESTS. Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 1128F the following new section: ‘‘SEC. 1128G ø42 U.S.C. 1320a–7h¿. TRANSPARENCY REPORTS AND REPORTING OF PHYSICIAN OWNERSHIP OR INVESTMENT INTERESTS. ‘‘(a) TRANSPARENCY REPORTS.— ‘‘(1) PAYMENTS OR OTHER TRANSFERS OF VALUE.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—On March 31, 2013, and on the 90th day of each calendar year beginning thereafter, any applicable manufacturer that provides a payment or other transfer of value to a covered recipient (or to an entity or individual at the request of or designated on behalf of a covered recipient), shall submit to the Secretary, in such electronic form as the Secretary shall require, the following information with respect to the preceding calendar year: ‘‘(i) The name of the covered recipient. ‘‘(ii) The business address of the covered recipient and, in the case of a covered recipient who is a physician, the specialty and National Provider Identifier of the covered recipient. ‘‘(iii) The amount of the payment or other transfer of value. ‘‘(iv) The dates on which the payment or other transfer of value was provided to the covered recipient. ‘‘(v) A description of the form of the payment or other transfer of value, indicated (as appropriate for all that apply) as— ‘‘(I) cash or a cash equivalent; ‘‘(II) in-kind items or services; ‘‘(III) stock, a stock option, or any other ownership interest, dividend, profit, or other return on investment; or ‘‘(IV) any other form of payment or other transfer of value (as defined by the Secretary). ‘‘(vi) A description of the nature of the payment or other transfer of value, indicated (as appropriate for all that apply) as— ‘‘(I) consulting fees; ‘‘(II) compensation for services other than consulting; ‘‘(III) honoraria; ‘‘(IV) gift; ‘‘(V) entertainment; ‘‘(VI) food; ‘‘(VII) travel (including the specified destinations); ‘‘(VIII) education; ‘‘(IX) research; ‘‘(X) charitable contribution; ‘‘(XI) royalty or license; ‘‘(XII) current or prospective ownership or investment interest; ‘‘(XIII) direct compensation for serving as faculty or as a speaker for a medical education program; ‘‘(XIV) grant; or ‘‘(XV) any other nature of the payment or other transfer of value (as defined by the Secretary). ‘‘(vii) If the payment or other transfer of value is related to marketing, education, or research specific to a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply, the name of that covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply. ‘‘(viii) Any other categories of information regarding the payment or other transfer of value the Secretary determines appropriate. ‘‘(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR CERTAIN PAYMENTS OR OTHER TRANSFERS OF VALUE.—In the case where an applicable manufacturer provides a payment or other transfer of value to an entity or individual at the request of or designated on behalf of a covered recipient, the applicable manufacturer shall disclose that payment or other transfer of value under the name of the covered recipient. ‘‘(2) PHYSICIAN OWNERSHIP.—In addition to the requirement under paragraph (1)(A), on March 31, 2013, and on the 90th day of each calendar year beginning thereafter, any applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization shall submit to the Secretary, in such electronic form as the Secretary shall require, the following information regarding any ownership or investment interest (other than an ownership or investment interest in a publicly traded security and mutual fund, as described in section 1877(c)) held by a physician (or an immediate family member of such physician (as defined for purposes of section 1877(a))) in the applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization during the preceding year: ‘‘(A) The dollar amount invested by each physician holding such an ownership or investment interest. ‘‘(B) The value and terms of each such ownership or investment interest. ‘‘(C) Any payment or other transfer of value provided to a physician holding such an ownership or investment interest (or to an entity or individual at the request of or designated on behalf of a physician holding such an ownership or investment interest), including the information described in clauses (i) through (viii) of paragraph (1)(A), except that in applying such clauses, ‘physician’ shall be substituted for ‘covered recipient’ each place it appears. ‘‘(D) Any other information regarding the ownership or investment interest the Secretary determines appropriate. ‘‘(b) PENALTIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.— ‘‘(1) FAILURE TO REPORT.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B) except as provided in paragraph (2), any applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization that fails to submit information required under subsection (a) in a timely manner in accordance with rules or regulations promulgated to carry out such subsection, shall be subject to a civil money penalty of not less than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, for each payment or other transfer of value or ownership or investment interest not reported as required under such subsection. Such penalty shall be imposed and collected in the same manner as civil money penalties under subsection (a) of section 1128A are imposed and collected under that section. ‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The total amount of civil money penalties imposed under subparagraph (A) with respect to each annual submission of information under subsection (a) by an applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization shall not exceed $150,000. ‘‘(2) KNOWING FAILURE TO REPORT.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), any applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization that knowingly fails to submit information required under subsection (a) in a timely manner in accordance with rules or regulations promulgated to carry out such subsection, shall be subject to a civil money penalty of not less than $10,000, but not more than $100,000, for each payment or other transfer of value or ownership or investment interest not reported as required under such subsection. Such penalty shall be imposed and collected in the same manner as civil money penalties under subsection (a) of section 1128A are imposed and collected under that section. ‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The total amount of civil money penalties imposed under subparagraph (A) with respect to each annual submission of information under subsection (a) by an applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization shall not exceed $1,000,000. ‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds collected by the Secretary as a result of the imposition of a civil money penalty under this subsection shall be used to carry out this section. ‘‘(c) PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION AND PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— ‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than October 1, 2011, the Secretary shall establish procedures— ‘‘(i) for applicable manufacturers and applicable group purchasing organizations to submit information to the Secretary under subsection (a); and ‘‘(ii) for the Secretary to make such information submitted available to the public. ‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF TERMS.—The procedures established under subparagraph (A) shall provide for the definition of terms (other than those terms defined in subsection (e)), as appropriate, for purposes of this section. ‘‘(C) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Except as provided in subparagraph (E), the procedures established under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall ensure that, not later than September 30, 2013, and on June 30 of each calendar year beginning thereafter, the information submitted under subsection (a) with respect to the preceding calendar year is made available through an Internet website that— ‘‘(i) is searchable and is in a format that is clear and understandable; ‘‘(ii) contains information that is presented by the name of the applicable manufacturer or applicable group purchasing organization, the name of the covered recipient, the business address of the covered recipient, the specialty of the covered recipient, the value of the payment or other transfer of value, the date on which the payment or other transfer of value was provided to the covered recipient, the form of the payment or other transfer of value, indicated (as appropriate) under subsection (a)(1)(A)(v), the nature of the payment or other transfer of value, indicated (as appropriate) under subsection (a)(1)(A)(vi), and the name of the covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply, as applicable; ‘‘(iii) contains information that is able to be easily aggregated and downloaded; ‘‘(iv) contains a description of any enforcement actions taken to carry out this section, including any penalties imposed under subsection (b), during the preceding year; ‘‘(v) contains background information on industryphysician relationships; ‘‘(vi) in the case of information submitted with respect to a payment or other transfer of value described in subparagraph (E)(i), lists such information separately from the other information submitted under subsection (a) and designates such separately listed information as funding for clinical research; ‘‘(vii) contains any other information the Secretary determines would be helpful to the average consumer; ‘‘(viii) does not contain the National Provider Identifier of the covered recipient, and ‘‘(ix) subject to subparagraph (D), provides the applicable manufacturer, applicable group purchasing organization, or covered recipient an opportunity to review and submit corrections to the information submitted with respect to the applicable manufacturer, applicable group purchasing organization, or covered recipient, respectively, for a period of not less than 45 days prior to such information being made available to the public. ‘‘(D) CLARIFICATION OF TIME PERIOD FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS.—In no case may the 45-day period for review and submission of corrections to information under subparagraph (C)(ix) prevent such information from being made available to the public in accordance with the dates described in the matter preceding clause (i) in subparagraph (C). ‘‘(E) DELAYED PUBLICATION FOR PAYMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO PRODUCT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND CLINICAL INVESTIGATIONS.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of information submitted under subsection (a) with respect to a payment or other transfer of value made to a covered recipient by an applicable manufacturer pursuant to a product research or development agreement for services furnished in connection with research on a potential new medical technology or a new application of an existing medical technology or the development of a new drug, device, biological, or medical supply, or by an applicable manufacturer in connection with a clinical investigation regarding a new drug, device, biological, or medical supply, the procedures established under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall provide that such information is made available to the public on the first date described in the matter preceding clause (i) in subparagraph (C) after the earlier of the following: ‘‘(I) The date of the approval or clearance of the covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply by the Food and Drug Administration. ‘‘(II) Four calendar years after the date such payment or other transfer of value was made. ‘‘(ii) CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION PRIOR TO PUBLICATION.—Information described in clause (i) shall be considered confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States Code, or any other similar Federal, State, or local law, until on or after the date on which the information is made available to the public under such clause. ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—In establishing the procedures under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, affected industry, consumers, consumer advocates, and other interested parties in order to ensure that the information made available to the public under such paragraph is presented in the appropriate overall context. ‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORTS AND RELATION TO STATE LAWS.— ‘‘(1) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than April 1 of each year beginning with 2013, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes the following: ‘‘(A) The information submitted under subsection (a) during the preceding year, aggregated for each applicable manufacturer and applicable group purchasing organization that submitted such information during such year (except, in the case of information submitted with respect to a payment or other transfer of value described in subsection (c)(1)(E)(i), such information shall be included in the first report submitted to Congress after the date on which such information is made available to the public under such subsection). ‘‘(B) A description of any enforcement actions taken to carry out this section, including any penalties imposed under subsection (b), during the preceding year. ‘‘(2) ANNUAL REPORTS TO STATES.—Not later than September 30, 2013 and on June 30 of each calendar year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to States a report that includes a summary of the information submitted under subsection (a) during the preceding year with respect to covered recipients in the State (except, in the case of information submitted with respect to a payment or other transfer of value described in subsection (c)(1)(E)(i), such information shall be included in the first report submitted to States after the date on which such information is made available to the public under such subsection). ‘‘(3) RELATION TO STATE LAWS.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a payment or other transfer of value provided by an applicable manufacturer that is received by a covered recipient (as defined in subsection (e)) on or after January 1, 2012, subject to subparagraph (B), the provisions of this section shall preempt any statute or regulation of a State or of a political subdivision of a State that requires an applicable manufacturer (as so defined) to disclose or report, in any format, the type of information (as described in subsection (a)) regarding such payment or other transfer of value. ‘‘(B) NO PREEMPTION OF ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.— Subparagraph (A) shall not preempt any statute or regulation of a State or of a political subdivision of a State that requires the disclosure or reporting of information— ‘‘(i) not of the type required to be disclosed or reported under this section; ‘‘(ii) described in subsection (e)(10)(B), except in the case of information described in clause (i) of such subsection; ‘‘(iii) by any person or entity other than an applicable manufacturer (as so defined) or a covered recipient (as defined in subsection (e)); or ‘‘(iv) to a Federal, State, or local governmental agency for public health surveillance, investigation, or other public health purposes or health oversight purposes. ‘‘(C) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to limit the discovery or admissibility of information described in such subparagraph in a criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding. ‘‘(4) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services on the implementation of this section. ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: ‘‘(1) APPLICABLE GROUP PURCHASING ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘applicable group purchasing organization’ means a group purchasing organization (as defined by the Secretary) that purchases, arranges for, or negotiates the purchase of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply which is operating in the United States, or in a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States. ‘‘(2) APPLICABLE MANUFACTURER.—The term ‘applicable manufacturer’ means a manufacturer of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply which is operating in the United States, or in a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States. ‘‘(3) CLINICAL INVESTIGATION.—The term ‘clinical investigation’ means any experiment involving 1 or more human subjects, or materials derived from human subjects, in which a drug or device is administered, dispensed, or used. ‘‘(4) COVERED DEVICE.—The term ‘covered device’ means any device for which payment is available under title XVIII or a State plan under title XIX or XXI (or a waiver of such a plan). ‘‘(5) COVERED DRUG, DEVICE, BIOLOGICAL, OR MEDICAL SUPPLY.—The term ‘covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply’ means any drug, biological product, device, or medical supply for which payment is available under title XVIII or a State plan under title XIX or XXI (or a waiver of such a plan). ‘‘(6) COVERED RECIPIENT.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term ‘covered recipient’ means the following: ‘‘(i) A physician. ‘‘(ii) A teaching hospital. ‘‘(B) EXCLUSION.—Such term does not include a physician who is an employee of the applicable manufacturer that is required to submit information under subsection (a). ‘‘(7) EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘employee’ has the meaning given such term in section 1877(h)(2). ‘‘(8) KNOWINGLY.—The term ‘knowingly’ has the meaning given such term in section 3729(b) of title 31, United States Code. ‘‘(9) MANUFACTURER OF A COVERED DRUG, DEVICE, BIOLOGI- CAL, OR MEDICAL SUPPLY.—The term ‘manufacturer of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply’ means any entity which is engaged in the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, or conversion of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply (or any entity under common ownership with such entity which provides assistance or support to such entity with respect to the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, conversion, marketing, promotion, sale, or distribution of a covered drug, device, biological, or medical supply). ‘‘(10) PAYMENT OR OTHER TRANSFER OF VALUE.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘payment or other transfer of value’ means a transfer of anything of value. Such term does not include a transfer of anything of value that is made indirectly to a covered recipient through a third party in connection with an activity or service in the case where the applicable manufacturer is unaware of the identity of the covered recipient. ‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—An applicable manufacturer shall not be required to submit information under subsection (a) with respect to the following: ‘‘(i) A transfer of anything the value of which is less than $10, unless the aggregate amount transferred to, requested by, or designated on behalf of the covered recipient by the applicable manufacturer during the calendar year exceeds $100. For calendar years after 2012, the dollar amounts specified in the preceding sentence shall be increased by the same percentage as the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (all items; U.S. city average) for the 12-month period ending with June of the previous year. ‘‘(ii) Product samples that are not intended to be sold and are intended for patient use. ‘‘(iii) Educational materials that directly benefit patients or are intended for patient use. ‘‘(iv) The loan of a covered device for a short-term trial period, not to exceed 90 days, to permit evaluation of the covered device by the covered recipient. ‘‘(v) Items or services provided under a contractual warranty, including the replacement of a covered device, where the terms of the warranty are set forth in the purchase or lease agreement for the covered device. ‘‘(vi) A transfer of anything of value to a covered recipient when the covered recipient is a patient and not acting in the professional capacity of a covered recipient. ‘‘(vii) Discounts (including rebates). ‘‘(viii) In-kind items used for the provision of charity care. ‘‘(ix) A dividend or other profit distribution from, or ownership or investment interest in, a publicly traded security and mutual fund (as described in section 1877(c)). ‘‘(x) In the case of an applicable manufacturer who offers a self-insured plan, payments for the provision of health care to employees under the plan. ‘‘(xi) In the case of a covered recipient who is a licensed non-medical professional, a transfer of anything of value to the covered recipient if the transfer is payment solely for the non-medical professional services of such licensed non-medical professional. ‘‘(xii) In the case of a covered recipient who is a physician, a transfer of anything of value to the covered recipient if the transfer is payment solely for the services of the covered recipient with respect to a civil or criminal action or an administrative proceeding. ‘‘(11) PHYSICIAN.—The term ‘physician’ has the meaning given that term in section 1861(r).’’.

Browse ACA Titles

  • I-Quality, Affordable Health Care for all Americans
  • II-Role of Public Programs
  • III-Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Health Care
  • IV-Prevention of Chronic Disease and Improving Public Health
  • V-Health Care Workforce
  • VI-Transparency and Program Integrity
  • VII-Improving Access to Innovative Medical Therapies
  • VIII-Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS ACT)
  • IX-Revenue Provisions

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