The deadline for reviewing your data about payments, ownership or investment interests between drug and device manufacturers, physicians and teaching hospitals is August 27, 2014. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) encourages you to review the data they have collected as part of the Open Payments program, previously known as the Sunshine Act, before it becomes open to the public on September 30, 2014. CMS recommends registering as soon as possible.

This federal transparency program, enacted by Congress in 2010, requires CMS to collect and publicly report this data. CMS is also required to give you an opportunity to review the data for accuracy. In order to review the data and make corrections, if necessary, physicians and teaching hospitals must first register in CMS’ Enterprise Portal.  Then, starting on July 14, you must register in the Open Payments system (via CMS’ Enterprise Portal). An additional 15 days are given to industries to review your information and submit dispute corrections and after September 30, 2014, this information is open to the public.

After registering through the CMS Enterprise Portal and in the Open Payments system, you can assign an authorized representative who can review and dispute data on your behalf.  Authorized Officials of teaching hospitals also have the ability to nominate authorized representatives.