On Friday, February 1, CMS announced the final regulations to implement the Sunshine Act. Listening to the majority of comments with respect to the CME industry, CMS exempted payments provided as compensation for speaking at a continuing education if certain conditions are met—which are consistent with the ACCME’s accreditation standards and standards for commercial support. The final rule is available here.
The CME Coalition released this press release applauding CMS decision.
We believe that this decision recognizes the adequacy of current protections against bias in CME, and acknowledges CME’s special role in educating physicians and improving patient outcomes. By limiting CME support payments from the reporting rules required of direct physician payments, CMS has made it clear that pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and other commercial supporters should not be discouraged from underwriting accredited CME activities.
In response to stakeholder comments, CMS has limited the reporting requirements for accredited continuing medical education (CME) in its Final Rule on the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which was promulgated today. This decision recognizes the adequacy of current protections against inappropriate bias in CME, and acknowledges CME’s special role in educating physicians and improving patient outcomes. Further, by limiting CME support payments from the reporting rules required of direct physician payments, CMS has made it clear that pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and other commercial supporters should not be discouraged from underwriting accredited CME activities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Rosenberg, (202) 247-6301
A survey of physicians conducted by the CME Coalition shows strong backing for commercial support for CME. Today, the Coalition submitted these results in its comments to the Senate Aging Committee for its stakeholder roundtable on the Sunshine Act.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2012
Today, the CME Coalition released the results of a comprehensive physician survey on the importance of continuing medical education and the potential impact of the Sunshine Act, should CMS determine that commercial support for CME must be disclosed as "payments to physicians" under the Act. The survey's results were included in comments submitted to the Senate Special Committee on Aging in advance of today's Committee Stakeholder Roundtable on the Sunshine Act.
