AMA won’t block release of physician data

The AMA announced earlier this week it won’t try to block Medicare’s release of billing records for 880,000 physicians, although it continues to oppose the government’s decision to open up the massive data trove. An AMA official, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Associated Press that the group wouldn’t go to court ahead of the April 9 scheduled release.

The Medicare claims database, considered the mother lode of information on physicians, has been off-limits to the public for decades, blocked in the courts by physician groups who argue its release would do more harm than good. For example, the AMA has warned that unfiltered information could contain inaccuracies. In addition, the numbers might not look good for accomplished physicians who take the severely ill patients, or for practitioners working in economically depressed areas. The group is asking the government to allow physicians to review and correct their information prior to its release.

Source: The Associated Press