The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) has joined other state medical and medical specialty societies in support of Congressman Michael C. Burgess’ (R-Texas) legislation ensuring that certain educational programs and materials are excluded from Open Payments reporting. Rep. Burgess’ bill (HR 293) would make the current regulatory exemption for independent Continuing Medical Education (CME) permanent.  In addition, medical textbooks and journal reprints would be added to the list of exempt transfers of value.
The Open Payments Program, often referred to as the Sunshine Act, was designed to promote transparency with regard to payments and other financial transfers of value between physicians and the medical product industry.
“Passage of this bill is urgently needed to remedy onerous and burdensome reporting obligations imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that have already chilled the dissemination of medical textbooks, peer-reviewed medical reprints and journals, and to avert a similar negative impact on access to independent certified and/or accredited continuing medical education (CME),” reads the letter to Rep. Burgess. “H.R. 293 would ensure that efforts to promote transparency do not undermine efforts to provide the most up-to-date independent medical knowledge, which improves the quality of care patients receive through timely dissemination of medical knowledge.”