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Senate president proposes ban on industry gifts to doctors

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Gideon Gil March 3, 2008 07:13 PM

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By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

Senate President Therese Murray proposed today a broad measure to control healthcare costs by in part banning all gifts and freebies to doctors from drug companies, saying the perks have helped drive up costs for consumers.

If adopted, the legislation would make Massachusetts the first state in the country to place an outright ban on drug-industry gifts. Prohibited gifts would include any payments, entertainment, meals, travel, honoraria, subscriptions -- and even a pen bearing a drug company logo. Companies would be forbidden from offering the gifts and doctors, their families and employees would be forbidden from accepting them.

Under the proposal, anyone who violates the ban could be fined $5,000, face two years imprisonment or both.

The idea for the ban stemmed from a proposal put forward by State Senator Mark C. Montigny (D-Plymouth) in 2005 and again this year. In 2005, the bill passed the Senate but died in subcommittee meetings.

Murray announced the proposal at a press conference at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.

The bill also includes proposals that would make Massachusetts a national leader in the adoption of electronic medical records, allow patients to choose nurse practioners as primary care providers, and require public review of any insurance company submitting rate increases above 7 percent.

The bill requires statewide adoption of electronic medical records by 2015, and designates $25 million in public funding each year "to accelerate the program." Physicians would have to show competency in the technology for medical board registration.

"Our efforts today are crucial to the future vitality of our health care system and our economy," Murray said in a statement.

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About white coat notes

White Coat Notes covers the latest from the health care industry, hospitals, doctors offices, labs, insurers, and the corridors of government. Chelsea Conaboy previously covered health care for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Write her at cconaboy@boston.com. Follow her on Twitter: @cconaboy.

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