The Affordable Care Act added the Physician Payment Sunshine Act (Sunshine Act) as section 1128G to the Social Security Act. The Sunshine Act requires applicable manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, or medical supplies and certain group purchasing organizations to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) certain payments or items of value that are provided to physicians and teaching hospitals.  The Sunshine Act also requires CMS to publish payments reported on a public Web site.

In 2013, CMS issued final regulations interpreting and clarifying the requirements of the Sunshine Act.  The final regulations clarify the reporting process, identify exceptions and exclusions from the reporting requirements, and provide further details regarding what constitutes a reportable relationship.  The final rule delineates the specific data elements reporting organizations are required to include and the required reporting format.  Reporting organizations failing to make required reports are subject to potential civil monetary penalties.  Continued

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Source: Health Law Blog