What is Open Payments?
Open Payments is a CMS program that publicly discloses payments and transfers of value from pharmaceutical and medical device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals, created under the Sunshine Act provision of the Affordable Care Act.
Updated February 2026
Open Payments Explained
The Open Payments database, launched in 2013, tracks every payment above $10 made by pharmaceutical and device manufacturers to licensed physicians and teaching hospitals. This includes consulting fees, speaking fees, meals, travel, research payments, and ownership interests. In 2022 alone, the database recorded over $12 billion in payments.
For healthcare B2B sales intelligence, Open Payments data reveals physician-industry relationships that aren't visible elsewhere. If a physician received $50,000 in consulting fees from a competitor, they have an established relationship that may be difficult to displace. If a physician received zero industry payments, they may be more receptive to new vendor relationships.
The data is searchable at openpaymentsdata.cms.gov and is available as downloadable files for bulk analysis. Records are linked to physician NPI numbers, making it straightforward to join with other provider data.
Why Open Payments Matters for Healthcare Data
Open Payments data reveals which physicians already have relationships with your competitors. Before a sales rep calls a surgeon, they can check whether that surgeon receives consulting fees from a competing device company. This intelligence helps reps prioritize unaffiliated physicians and prepare for competitive conversations.
Real-World Example
A medical device company analyzes Open Payments data for orthopedic surgeons in their target territory. They find that 180 of their 500 target surgeons received payments from their two largest competitors last year. They prioritize the 320 surgeons without competitor payments for initial outreach and develop specific competitive messaging for the 180 with existing relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What payments does Open Payments track?
All payments and transfers of value above $10 from pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to physicians and teaching hospitals. This includes consulting fees, speaking fees, meals, travel, research funding, royalties, and ownership/investment interests.
How can I use Open Payments data for sales?
Cross-reference your target physician list with Open Payments to identify competitive relationships. Physicians receiving payments from competitors have established affiliations. Use this to prioritize unaffiliated physicians for new outreach and prepare competitive positioning for affiliated ones.
Is Open Payments data accurate?
Manufacturers self-report payments to CMS, and physicians have a review/dispute period before publication. The data is generally reliable for identifying relationships and payment ranges, though individual payment amounts may occasionally contain errors.
Sources and References
Related Resources
Get the Provider Data You Need
Tell us what you're looking for. We'll build a custom list matched to your target market.
Trusted by healthcare sales teams, medical device companies, and health IT vendors across the US.