• Physicians and Teaching Hospitals: Open Payments System Registration Starts Today
• Industry, Physicians, and Teaching Hospitals: Open Payments Review and Dispute Process Begins Today and Ends August 27
• Industry, Physicians, and Teaching Hospitals: New Education Resources Now Available
• Questions – Contact Live Help Desk

Physicians and Teaching Hospitals: Open Payments System Registration Starts Today

Physicians and teaching hospitals can begin registering in the Open Payments system today, July 14, 2014. Although registering in the Open Payments system is voluntary, it becomes a mandatory process if physicians and teaching hospitals want the opportunity to review and dispute data submitted by applicable manufacturers and applicable group purchasing organizations (GPOs) prior to public posting on September 30, 2014.

In order to review or dispute data submitted by industry for the 2013 reporting period, physicians must be registered—and have reviewed any data reported about them—on or before August 27, 2014, the end of the initial 45-day review and dispute period. And, with identity verification as part of the registration process, which can take some time, CMS recommends completing the registration process as soon as possible and not waiting until the end of this initial 45-day review and dispute period.

Note that after physicians have registered themselves through the CMS Enterprise Portal and in the Open Payments system, they can delegate an authorized representative who can review and dispute data on their behalf.  Authorized Officials of teaching hospitals also have the ability to nominate authorized representatives.  All authorized representatives can accept or reject a nomination.

Learn more by visiting the Registration, Physician and Teaching Hospital web pages.

Industry, Physicians, and Teaching Hospitals: Open Payments Review and Dispute Process Begins Today and Ends August 27

The Open Payments review, dispute and correction process begins today, July 14, and ends on August 27, 2014. This process spans a total of 60 days. The initial 45-day period (July 14 through August 27) is for physicians and teaching hospitals to review and initiate any disputes they may have regarding the data reported about them by applicable manufacturers and applicable GPOs. The remaining 15-day period (August 28 through September 11) is additional time that has been provided to industry to submit dispute corrections.

Two key activities will take place during the review, dispute, and correction period:

• Before CMS releases any data publicly, physicians and teaching hospitals (who are registered in CMS’ Enterprise Portal and the Open Payments system) may review and, if necessary, initiate disputes relating to data submitted about them; and,
• Applicable manufacturers and applicable GPOs will analyze these disputes and work with physicians and teaching hospitals to come to agreement on any necessary corrections.

As discussed above, in order to review or dispute data submitted by industry for the 2013 reporting period, physicians must be registered—and have reviewed any data reported about them—on or before August 27, 2014. 

Note: As described above, registration in the Enterprise Portal is a separate process from registration in the Open Payments system. But, Enterprise Portal registration is a required first step to allow for registration in the Open Payments system when it becomes available on July 14.

Learn more by visiting the Dispute and Resolution web page.

Industry, Physicians, and Teaching Hospitals: New Education Resources Now Available

The Open Payments User Guide has been extensively updated to provide industry, physicians, and teaching hospitals with a comprehensive understanding of the Open Payments system and requirements. New chapters include: physician and teaching hospital registration in the Open Payments system and review and dispute functionality in the Open Payments system. It can be downloaded on the Open Payments Fact Sheets and User Guides web page.

In addition, CMS developed multiple Quick Reference Guides. The Quick Reference Guides are one page documents that provide basic instructional guidance. 

Quick Reference Guide topics include:

• For Physicians: How to Register in the Open Payments system
• For a Physician’s Authorized Representative: How to accept or reject a nomination as an authorized representative for a physician
• For Teaching Hospitals: How to Register in the Open Payments system
• For a Teaching Hospital’s Authorized Representative: How to accept or reject a nomination as an authorized representative for a teaching hospital
• For Physicians and Teaching Hospital Representatives:  How to review a record and initiate a dispute, if applicable

The Quick Reference Guides can be downloaded on the Physician, Teaching Hospital and Dispute and Resolution web pages.

CMS will also be releasing detailed step-by-step instructions in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for future announcements regarding these resources.

Questions – Contact Live Help Desk

For more information about Open Payments, please visit the Open Payments website. If you have any questions, you can submit an email to the Help Desk at [email protected]. Live Help Desk support is available by calling 1-855-326-8366, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (CT), excluding Federal holidays.

To sign up for the Open Payments listserv, access the website at http://go.cms.gov/openpayments, and enter your email address on the main page, in the “Email Updates” box or on the “Contact Us” page. Thank you and we look forward to working with you on this important program.