PhRMA wants payment system clarity from CMS

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to clarify reporting regulations for the online Open Payments system. The website is a payment disclosure system required by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, part of the Affordable Care Act.

CMS said on Aug. 15 it removed some "incorrect payment transactions" from the system during a 12-day period of downtime, when it addressed technical issues. PhRMA said it analyzed the removed data and found that its members' submissions were consistent with CMS's reporting guidelines. It asked CMS to further explain its decision to remove the data. ...