Pew Health Group comments on the implementation of Section 6002 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

"The Pew Health Group of The Pew Charitable Trusts welcomes the opportunity to submit comments regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' ("CMS") proposed rule for Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs; Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Interests.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent, non-profit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to imporove public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. Based on data, science and non-partisan research, the Pew Health Group ("Pew") works to reduce hidden risks to the health, safety, and well-being of American consumers. The Pew Prescription Project has worked to promote transparency of financial relationships between pharmaceutical and medical device makers and health care providers.

We are pleased CMS is working towards implementing the provisions of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act signed into law as section 6002 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Physician Payments Sunshine Act has the support of consumer and industry groups and leaders within the medical profession. Implementation wil bring transparency to the financial relationships between physicians and pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The Institute of Medicine has said that these financial relationships "present the risk of undue influence on professional judgements and thereby may jeopardize the integrity of scientific investigations, the objectivity of medical education, the quality of patient care, and the public's trust in medicine.

Pew was closely involved in the development of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act and in working to ensure its inclusion in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We have also supported the develop,ent and implementation of analagous state transparenct laws. We look forward to continuing to work with CMS toward a successful implementation of this important new program.

Pew's man goals in commenting on the proposed rule are to ensure timely implementation and to promote the interest of full transparency by ensuring that data is collected, reported, and published in the most complete, consistent and accurate manner possible."

Download the PDF to read the complete letter from Alan Coukell.