Open Payments system gets an update – and a time out

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its Open Payments database, which tracks payments and "transfers of value" to physicians and teaching hospitals from pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers or group purchasing organizations.

CMS typically updates the information at least once a year to address disputed payments and other corrections made since the data was first reported. The database now covers $9.9 billion in financial information submitted during the program's initial two years.

The Open Payments Data website now has added functionality, allowing visitors to search by name for payments tied to a doctor and view summaries of trends found in the data.

The Open Payments system itself is undergoing maintenance Jan. 21-26. Physicians won’t be able to access the system during this time, but the public website will still be available.

Visit CMS' Open Payments program website for more information and the Resources website if you still haven’t registered. Registration is required before physicians can review payments or transfers of value tied to their name and file a dispute or correction.