{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/grassley-wyden-applaud-sgrs-medicare-payment-transparency-provisions", "Grassley, Wyden Applaud SGR’s Medicare Payment Transparency Provisions", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Medicare DATA Act Language Included\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, December 12, 2013\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded inclusion of language that would make Medicare claims data available to the public as part of legislation aimed addressing the Medicare\u2019s physician payment formula.\r\nBoth the House and Senate versions of legislation addressing the Medicare physician payment formula include the key provisions from Grassley and Wyden\u2019s Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act (Medicare DATA Act). This would establish a free, searchable Medicare payment database that would be readily available to the public online at no cost.\u00a0\r\nThe database would include all payments made to physicians by Medicare. Patients\u2019 privacy would be fully protected, and providers would have an opportunity to correct payment information before being posted online.\r\n\u201cTransparency draws in the public and invites analysis of policy and spending,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cMore transparency has made a difference in accountability in the tax-exempt sector, and it does the same wherever it\u2019s applied in health care.\u201d\r\n\u201cHealthcare, particularly Medicare, is notorious for its lack of transparency,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cAllowing the public to finally see where Medicare dollars are being spent creates a powerful check against waste and a valuable research tool for improving care for seniors.\u201d\r\nUnder current law, access to the Medicare payment database is limited to a small number of bureaucrats and academics despite a federal judge\u2019s ruling in favor of greater public access.\r\nThe text of the Medicare DATA Act is available here.\u00a0 Grassley\u2019s statement on the bill introduction is available here. Wyden\u2019s statement on the bill introduction is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/grassley-wyden-applaud-sgrs-medicare-payment-transparency-provisions"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5161610208451748, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}