CMS releases Medicare provider payment data

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services took the unprecedented step this week of releasing data on payments to more than 800,000 physicians and other providers (Source: “Medicare releases individual doctor payment amounts,” Akron Beacon Journal, April 11, 2014).

CMS officials said the creation of the online database was part of a larger effort to provide more cost and quality transparency in Medicare.

“We believe the public has the right to know,” said Jonathan Blum, CMS’ principal deputy administrator. “The Medicare program is, by and large, funded with taxpayer dollars and taxpayers have the right to understand what is being paid for and how it’s being paid for.”

The American Medical Association and other physician associations fought for decades to keep doctor payment amounts from being released. A court ruling cleared the way for the information to be made public.