Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

3 ways to navigate increasing transparency of prescriber-supplier relationships. With the new healthcare reform law in place, the federal government will soon be able to take a harder look at financial relationships between physicians and companies that make drugs, biologics, medical devices and supplies. Here's what you need to know and do to stay out of federal prosecutors' crosshairs. The basics: The reform bill incorporates provisions of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which requires manufacturers to report annually to the Department of Health & Human Services how much they've tendered of value to "covered recipients," e.g., physicians and teaching hospitals. The annual reporting requirement goes into effect on March 31, 2013 for payments made from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2012. The companies have to report the date, amount, and form of payment (cash, stock, services, etc.), whatever the arrangement is -- and the product involved, says attorney John Jones Jr., [...]