Bill Overview
Title: Sunshine Act of 2022
Description: This bill specifies that manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics, or medical supplies covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are not required to report peer-reviewed journals, journal reprints, journal supplements, medical conference reports, or medical textbooks that are provided to health care practitioners or teaching hospitals.
Sponsors: Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]
Target Audience
Population: Healthcare Practitioners Affected by the Reporting Changes
Estimated Size: 1200000
- The bill targets manufacturers who provide specific educational resources to healthcare professionals.
- The group primarily affected includes healthcare professionals, especially those in fields covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.
- Patients affected would be those receiving care from healthcare professionals who rely on these educational materials.
- Globally, healthcare systems follow similar regulations, so the impact might extend beyond the US.
Reasoning
- The Sunshine Act of 2022 is primarily relevant to healthcare professionals who may rely on medical journals and conference materials to stay updated in their fields.
- The policy's impact on patients is indirect but potentially significant, depending on how healthcare providers utilize these educational materials in practice.
- Given the US's large healthcare workforce, the policy could have a widespread but differentiated impact depending on the type of healthcare provider and their reliance on these materials.
- The zero-cost nature of the legislation reflects administrative cost savings rather than direct financial benefits or burdens.
- We included interviews from a variety of healthcare roles to accurately reflect the different ways this policy might be perceived and its impact on their work and perceived effectiveness.
Simulated Interviews
Cardiologist (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad the paperwork is reduced, giving me more time with patients.
- The unreported materials help me stay updated on cutting-edge treatments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Oncology Nurse (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m concerned about not having detailed reporting on journals, as it might limit transparency.
- It's crucial for the ongoing education of healthcare staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Hospital Administrator (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy simplifies administrative processes without impacting funding, which is a relief.
- It could pressure manufacturers to provide more transparent data through other channels.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (Seattle, WA)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change might ease my reporting workload and let me focus on relationships with providers.
- Offers less bureaucratic hassle, but also less transparency to leverage.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Medical Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The impact on my education seems minimal right now, but I worry about future access.
- I value any material that aids learning, reported or not.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Family Physician (Cleveland, OH)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any reduction in reporting requirements is welcome to reduce my overhead.
- I hope it doesn't limit the quality of free educational resources available.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Pharmaceutical Company Executive (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Simplifying these requirements cuts legal costs and makes compliance easier.
- I see this as beneficial for everyone involved in the drug delivery process.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Health Policy Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The lack of mandated transparency could hinder informed decision-making, but reduces unnecessary costs.
- Educational resources should remain openly available.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Clinical Research Coordinator (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The change might influence the dissemination of knowledge negatively.
- Less oversight might be a double-edged sword in clinical transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Health IT Specialist (Denver, CO)
Age: 36 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reduced reporting requirements might decrease the demand for compliance monitoring services.
- I'm intrigued by how this will change my work scope.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $50000)
Key Considerations
- The bill simplifies existing reporting requirements, which might be viewed favorably by affected manufacturers.
- There could be benefits to patient care if healthcare practitioners have more access to educational materials without the burden of extra reporting constraints.
- These changes might influence similar policies worldwide due to the connection of international healthcare regulations.