To ensure America’s physicians deliver the best health care possible, U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on Dec. 1 proposed a bipartisan bill that would allow them to fully access the most recent medical research and training.
“When doctors don’t have access to the most up-to-date educational materials, patients suffer,” Rep. Burgess said. “This commonsense bill ensures the best care for American patients.”
Rep. Burgess sponsored the Sunshine Act of 2022, H.R. 9378, with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) in response to what they say are the unintended consequences caused by over-burdensome reporting requirements in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Misinterpreted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), these ACA reporting requirements have made certain educational materials for physicians difficult to obtain, according to information provided by Rep. Burgess’ office.
If enacted, H.R. 9378 would minimize the impacts of this misinterpretation by making the educational materials exempt from reporting requirements, the information says.
“I’m proud to work with my fellow doctor Representative Burgess to introduce this commonsense fix to empower our nation’s doctors with timely resources to render the best care for their patients,” said Rep. Bera, who previously served as the chief medical officer for Sacramento County, Calif.
“Medicine is ever-evolving. I practiced medicine for nearly 30 years and can personally attest to the frequent lifesaving advancements the medical community makes every year,” added Rep. Burgess. “As physicians, we should be consistently learning about new treatments and procedures that could potentially save countless lives.”
H.R. 9378 has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee and the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee.