Greater Ontario CVB Offers Painless Prescription to the Sunshine Act
ONTARIO, CALIF. (PRWEB) August 19, 2013 -- 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, today announced a simple remedy to addressing what could be a paperwork nightmare for 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 simply steps to meeting Sunshine Act requirements and for ensuring that the numbers reported are right.
• 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.
Above all, remember that your needs matter. Don’t be shy about asking what meeting venues and CVBs can do for you. That’s their job. Make sure they do it right. For more information, call the GOCVB at 1-800-455-5755 or visit http://www.discoverontariocalifornia.org/.
About the Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau
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. Ideal for both leisure and business travel, the region boasts scenic mountains, deserts, vineyards and metropolitan areas that are both historic and cosmopolitan in character. For meeting needs of all sizes – from a conference room to a citywide convention utilizing the Ontario Convention Center – or for a special exposition or sporting event, the Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau will provide the necessary destination support tools to execute a successful experience.
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Michael Krouse, Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://www.discoverontariocalifornia.org, +1 (909) 937-3001, [email protected]
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