In recent days, leading health care leaders on Capitol Hill have introduced bipartisan legislation and sent a bipartisan letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner expressing support for the CME Open Payments reporting exemption and opposition to the CMS proposal to eliminate it.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Rosenberg, (202) 247-6301, arosenberg@thornrun.com
Today, the CME Coalition applauded Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) on their introduction of H.R. 5539, a bill that exempts payments related to continuing medical education, in addition to the sharing of peer-reviewed journals, journal reprints, journal supplements, and medical textbooks, from the reporting requirements of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Rosenberg, (202) 247-6301, arosenberg@thornrun.com
Today, the CME Coalition applauded Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) on their introduction of H.R. 5539, a bill that exempts payments related to continuing medical education, in addition to the sharing of peer-reviewed journals, journal reprints, journal supplements, and medical textbooks, from the reporting requirements of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.
The CME Coalition also praised Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) for joining Dr. Burgess in sending a strong letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner last week to express concern for the agency’s recent proposal to eliminate the CME Open Payments reporting exemption. In their letter, the congressmen asked that “[a]s you consider public comment and finalize your proposal in the coming weeks, we ask that you take into account our concerns for the proposed policy's potential negative impact on CME and the medical community.”
In an overwhelmingly one-sided public comment process, over 900 submissions were made to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their proposed rule, of which approximately 98% opposed their proposal to eliminate the CME reporting exemption in favor of either maintaining or expanding the reporting exemption to all bona fide accredited CME. CMS is currently in the process of reviewing the comments and formulating a final rule.
The letter from Burgess and Pallone, the Vice-Chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, strongly endorsed the role of CME in our healthcare system, stating: “[b]ecause of CME’s important role in health care delivery, CME is recognized by medical practitioners as an essential part of continued professional development and a key resource in ensuring both the quality and effectiveness of care delivery.”
Andrew Rosenberg, Senior Advisor to the CME Coalition stated, “The introduction of this important legislation, coupled with such a compelling letter to CMS Administrator Tavenner, demonstrates the unmistakable bipartisan support for a Sunshine Act reporting exemption for continuing medical education.”
Rosenberg continued, “When coupled with the overwhelming public sentiment as expressed in the comments, the fact that a congressional effort to highlight this issue has been led by a physician-member of Congress in Doctor Burgess, alongside two widely respected Democratic health policy experts in Representatives Pallone and Schwartz, we hope that CMS recognizes the need to create a strong reporting exemption for CME.”
About the CME Coalition
The CME Coalition represents a broad collection of continuing medical education provider companies, in addition to other supporters of CME and the vital role it plays in the US health care system. Its member organizations provide, manage and support the development of healthcare continuing education programs that impact more than 500,000 physicians, nurses and pharmacists annually. Graduation from medical school and completion of residency training are the first steps in a career-long educational process for physicians. To take advantage of the growing array of diagnostic and treatment options, physicians must continually update their technical knowledge and practice skills. CME is a mainstay for such learning.
In an overwhelmingly one-sided public comment process, over 900 submissions were made to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to their proposed rule, of which approximately 98% opposed their proposal to eliminate the CME reporting exemption in favor of either maintaining or expanding the reporting exemption to all bona fide accredited CME. CMS is currently in the process of reviewing the comments and formulating a final rule.
The letter from Burgess and Pallone, the Vice-Chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, strongly endorsed the role of CME in our healthcare system, stating: “[b]ecause of CME’s important role in health care delivery, CME is recognized by medical practitioners as an essential part of continued professional development and a key resource in ensuring both the quality and effectiveness of care delivery.”
Andrew Rosenberg, Senior Advisor to the CME Coalition stated, “The introduction of this important legislation, coupled with such a compelling letter to CMS Administrator Tavenner, demonstrates the unmistakable bipartisan support for a Sunshine Act reporting exemption for continuing medical education.”
Rosenberg continued, “When coupled with the overwhelming public sentiment as expressed in the comments, the fact that a congressional effort to highlight this issue has been led by a physician-member of Congress in Doctor Burgess, alongside two widely respected Democratic health policy experts in Representatives Pallone and Schwartz, we hope that CMS recognizes the need to create a strong reporting exemption for CME.”
About the CME Coalition
The CME Coalition represents a broad collection of continuing medical education provider companies, in addition to other supporters of CME and the vital role it plays in the US health care system. Its member organizations provide, manage and support the development of healthcare continuing education programs that impact more than 500,000 physicians, nurses and pharmacists annually. Graduation from medical school and completion of residency training are the first steps in a career-long educational process for physicians. To take advantage of the growing array of diagnostic and treatment options, physicians must continually update their technical knowledge and practice skills. CME is a mainstay for such learning.
