Senate Moves to Open Medicare Claims Database
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, MARCH 8, 2011
The Medicare claims database has been closed since 1979, when the Florida Medical Association and the American Medical Association persuaded a court to keep doctors' pay private. Now two Senators, Charles Grassley and Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon, are working on legislation that would allow the public access to the database, which contains records of physician claims and reimbursement amounts. Sen. Grassley says his legislation will promote transparency and help identify Medicare fraud.
According to the Hill blog, after Sen. Grassley introduced his anti-fraud legislation last week, Sen. Wyden announced that he was also looking at opening up the claims database. The two Senators later announced plans to collaborate on bipartisan legislation.
These efforts to open up the claims database come at a time of increased pressure to cut costs and increase transparency in the healthcare system. However, at stake is the support of the AMA, which has threatened that exposing payments could lead to doctors withdrawing from the Medicare program.
Estimates place the cost of Medicare fraud at $70 to $120 billion annually.
