2014

HomeWashington Letter2014 ▶ CMS to Release Physician Specific Payment Data
CMS to Release Physician Specific Payment Data

April 2014

CMS announced this week its plans to release physician specific Medicare Part B payment data for public review. According to CMS Deputy Administrator Jonathan Blum, CMS plans to "provide the public unprecedented access to information about the number and type of health care services that individual physicians and certain other health care professionals delivered in 2012, and the amount Medicare paid them for those services." Mr. Blum noted this data can be used to help Medicare beneficiaries make informed choices on the providers and services they receive.

The AMA has expressed concern with the pending data release and AMA President Ardis Dee Hoven MD stated, "The AMA is concerned that CMS' broad approach to releasing physician payment data will mislead the public into making inappropriate and potentially harmful treatment decisions and will result in unwarranted bias against physicians that can destroy careers."

Last Reviewed: October 2017