Letter to HHS Secretary Regarding the Agency’s Decision Requiring Reporting of Malpractice Payments to the National Practitioner Data Bank Under Medical Malpractice Reforms in Oregon and Massachusetts
View the Enclosure: HHS Decision Memorandum.
Public Citizen applauds the recent determination by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding reporting of medical malpractice payments to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). The HHS determination closes loopholes in requirements for reporting medical malpractice payments to the NPDB that were created under recently enacted laws in Oregon and Massachusetts. The HHS action is an important first step toward preserving the integrity and viability of the NPDB as a comprehensive, reliable source of data regarding malpractice payouts made on behalf of physicians and other health care practitioners.