Irving, Texas-based, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) announced it opposes the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, S.301, recently introduced by Senators Herb Kohl, (D-Wis.) and Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa). The bill requires manufacturers of covered drugs, devices or medical supplies under Medicare, Medicaid or State Children’s Health Insurance Program to report to the federal government payments made to physicians, including promotional products provided to them.
The Physician Sunshine Act requires disclosure of payment or other transfer of value to physicians and includes, subject to certain exclusions specified in the law, any compensation, gift, honorarium, speaking fee, consulting fee, travel, services, dividend, profit distribution, stock or stock option grant, or ownership or investment interest.
Currently there is a $100 annual aggregate payment threshold that triggers reporting, the previous version in the last Congress had a specific de minimis individual payment threshold.
“We are encouraging all of our members to communicate with their two Senators,” said Steve Slagle, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI. “Because mail no longer gets through to Congressional offices in a timely fashion, it is essential that they call them and follow up with written communication by fax or e-mail. Members can get their phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses by visiting PPAI Law. They can also find that contact information at www.senate.gov.”
For more information on PPAI, visit www.ppai.org.
