Health Reform Mandates Transparency in Industry/Provider Relationship

National health care reform legislation adopted in March 2010 contained numerous provisions to promote transparency in the health care delivery system. Most significantly, ' 6002 of the legislation included provisions that comprised the Physician Payments Sunshine Act previously introduced as a separate bill (Sunshine Law). Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Pub.L.No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119, amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Pub.L.No. 111-152, ' 6002. The Sunshine Law mandates public disclosure of payments and gifts by pharmaceutical, device, medical supply, and biotechnology companies to physicians and teaching hospitals for a wide array of purposes, including consulting, speaking engagements, advisory board service, travel, food, and clinical research. Part of a national movement to use disclosure to advance quality and compliance in health care delivery, the Sunshine Law has significant implications for health care providers and the public as well as industry.