Statement attributable to:
Jeremy Lazarus, MD
Board Member, AMA
“Physicians have won a major victory for preserving their privacy in the recent ruling by the D.C. Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. The American Medical Association successfully fought to preserve protections against public disclosure of Medicare payments to physicians.
“The court found that physicians have a significant right to privacy, and there is no public interest in the disclosure sought by Consumers’ Checkbook. The court clearly found that the release of personal physician payment data does not meet the standard of the Freedom of Information Act, which is to provide the public with information on how the government operates.
“Every physician who works with Medicare will benefit from the AMA’s legal victory to preserve physicians’ privacy. This is a prime example of the AMA making good on its commitment to help physicians, through advocacy, focus on what they do best – care for patients.â€
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Source – AMA