The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has included proposed changes to the implementing regulations for the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (“Sunshine Act”) as part of its proposed 2020 Physician Fee Schedule. The proposed regulatory changes fundamentally expand the scope of the Sunshine Act and will require reporting entities to make substantial updates to their payment tracking policies and procedures. Entities that are required to report payment data under the Sunshine Act should review the proposed rules, submit comments, and evaluate how these proposals will affect future financial relationships with health care providers on a going-forward basis.

CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until September 27, 2019. If finalized, the regulatory changes to be promulgated in 42 C.F.R. Part 403 would be effective for data collected during calendar year 2021 that must be reported by March 31, 2022 .Continue Reading Sunshine Act/Open Payments Regulatory Changes in the 2020 Physician Fee Schedule