ONTARIO, Calif.
The Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau, in response to new laws requiring detailed reports of money spent on physicians and other health care professionals, have announced a strategy for addressing what could be a paperwork nightmare for some meeting professionals.
Beginning this month, new mandates by the Physician Payment Sunshine Act require most manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, biologicals or medical supplies to monitor and report the money spent on physicians and other health care providers at meetings and conventions. (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will begin posting the information in a public database on its website beginning in the fall of 2014.)
Tracking individual expenses for each physician attending a conference could be a logistical and paperwork nightmare. Added to that is concern among physicians that errors in reporting may harm their reputation.
Here are some simple steps to meeting Sunshine Act requirements and for ensuring that the numbers reported are right, provided by the Greater Ontario CVB.
- Strive for package deals that calculate costs ahead of time, so you don’t have to track and sort through individual expenses later on.
- Look for venues that provide the greatest value. Reasonable pricing will help to discourage physician attendees from opting out for fear of criticism once expenses go public. (CMS will begin posting the information in a public database on its website beginning in the fall of 2014.)
- Bundle pricing into the total cost of your event for ease of processing and to give attendees an idea up front of what will be reported to the CMS.
- Consider working with a Convention and Visitors Bureau to identify multiple lodging venues for a large availability of standard rooms. The CVB can help negotiate pricing and room bookings to ensure that all attendees receive the same type room for the same cost. This option may not be available at a traditional stand-alone hotel.
The Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau provides groups and meeting professionals with an unbiased, comprehensive resource when booking a tour, convention, meeting or event within the cities of Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
