Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons. Existing law establishes the Osteopathic Medical Board of California within the department and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of osteopathic physicians and surgeons.

Existing federal law known as the Open Payments program requires, among other things, applicable manufacturers of drugs, devices, and biological or medical supplies to annually report to the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services certain payments and other transfers of value made to covered recipients, as defined. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services makes this Open Payments data available to the public via a federal government internet website.

Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, regulates the packaging, labeling, and advertising of drugs and devices, and is administered by the State Department of Public Health. That existing law specifically regulates drug marketing practices and requires a pharmaceutical company to adopt and update a program that includes policies on interactions with health care professionals and limits on gifts and incentives to medical or health professionals, as defined. Existing law requires each pharmaceutical company to establish in its program a specific annual dollar limit on gifts, promotional materials, or items or activities that the pharmaceutical company may give or otherwise provide to an individual medical or health care professional, with certain exemptions.

This bill would require a physician and surgeon, defined to include a physician and surgeon licensed pursuant to the Medical Practice Act or an osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California under the Osteopathic Act, to provide to a patient at the initial office visit a written or electronic notice of the Open Payments database, as prescribed.

This bill would require a physician and surgeon to post an Open Payments database notice, as described, in each location where the licensee practices and in an area that is likely to be seen by all persons who enter the office. The bill would, beginning January 1, 2024, require a physician and surgeon to conspicuously post the same Open Payments database notice on the internet website used for the physician and surgeon’s practice, if such a website is used, except as provided. If the physician and surgeon is employed by a health care employer, the bill would instead require the health care employer to comply with these posting requirements.

This bill would define other terms for its purposes. A violation of the bill’s provisions would constitute unprofessional conduct. The bill would specify that these provisions do not apply to a physician and surgeon working in a hospital emergency room.