The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding continuing medical education (CME) reporting under Open Payments have been updated to include . The controversial “Law and Policy” page, which offered various scenarios of when CME payments would be considered reportable payments, has also been removed. Stakeholders, including the American Medical Association are encouraged that the new language will help continue to advance important physician education programs.
- If an applicable manufacturer gave a contribution to support a medical conference, but did not have any say in the content, speakers, or attendees, would this be considered an unrestricted donation? Or, is the fact that the money was specifically for an educational conference mean that it is, by definition, restricted?
Unrestricted donations to a medical conference as described in this FAQ would not be subject to reporting under Open Payments. Although there is no formal definition of an unrestricted donation, in this case we can take that term to mean a grant given by a reporting entity to a professional association for use without any restrictions, preconditions, or post-conditions in order to assist the professional or educational association with its administrative or educational needs. In accordance with the definition of an indirect payment at 42 C.F.R. §403.902, an applicable manufacturer that contributes funding to a medical/educational conference would be required to report the payment if the reporting entity determines that it meets the definition of an indirect payment at 42 C.F.R. §403.902. An indirect payment is defined at 42 C.F.R. §403.902 as a payment or other transfer of value made by an applicable manufacturer to a covered recipient through a third party, where the applicable manufacturer requires, instructs, directs, or otherwise causes the third party to provide the payment or transfer of value, in whole or in part, to a covered recipient.
Keywords: Open Payments, Sunshine Act, CME, Physician Fee Schedule (FAQ11602)
December Language:
- 2. Starting with 2016 Open Payments data collection and reporting to CMS in 2017, are payments provided by an applicable manufacturer to a continuing education organization for continuing education events reportable?
Yes, the payment is reportable if the applicable manufacturer determines that the payment meets the definition of an indirect payment, and the applicable manufacturer knows or can determine the identity of the covered recipient by the end of the second quarter of the following reporting year. An indirect payment is defined at 42 C.F.R. §403.902 as a payment or other transfer of value made by an applicable manufacturer to a covered recipient through a third party, where the applicable manufacturer requires, instructs, directs, or otherwise causes the third party to provide the payment or transfer of value, in whole or in part, to a covered recipient. In accordance with 42 C.F.R. §403.904(i)(1), indirect payments or other transfers of value do not have to be reported if the applicable manufacturer is unaware of the identity of the covered recipient during the reporting year or by the end of the second quarter of the following reporting year.
Keywords: Open Payments, Sunshine Act, CME, Physician Fee Schedule (FAQ11638)
December language:
- 3. If several applicable manufacturers contribute funding to a continuing medical education (CME) program and there are several speakers, how is this reported?
In accordance with the definition of an indirect payment at 42 C.F.R. §403.902, applicable manufacturers that contribute funding to a CME program with several speakers are required to report the payments provided to physician speakers if they determine that the payments meet the definition of an indirect payment. An indirect payment is defined at 42 C.F.R. §403.902 as a payment or other transfer of value made by an applicable manufacturer to a covered recipient through a third party, where the applicable manufacturer requires, instructs, directs, or otherwise causes the third party to provide the payment or transfer of value, in whole or in part, to a covered recipient.
Consistent with the CMS Final Rule (CMS-5060-F), there are instances where indirect payments provided by an applicable manufacturer to a CME program are not reportable. In accordance with 42 C.F.R. §403.904(i)(1), indirect payments or other transfers of value are excluded from reporting where the applicable manufacturer is unaware of the identity of the covered recipient during the reporting year or by the end of the second quarter of the following reporting year.
If the payment is a reportable payment, then the amount should be equally divided among the known covered recipient speakers.
Keywords: Open Payments, CME, Physician Fee Schedule (FAQ11600)
December language: