H.R. 3590 is called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Congressman Charles Rangel sponsored the bill. It was passed into law on December 24, 2009. The law is located on the Library of Congress' website, Thomas.gov. Now that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009 has become federal law, it is important to understand what the law actually says. This article addresses Title VI, Subtitle A of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009. This section addresses the transparency and integrity of doctors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and pharmacies. All must report to the federal government.

Title VI Subtitle A of Obama's Health Care Act Discusses Being Transparent and Physician Integrity

The Social Security Title XVIII now states that any hospital that is owned or invested in by doctors must have a provider agreement in order to participate in Medicare. This policy has been in place since August 1, 2010. There is an exception to this policy, however. Such hospitals may participate in Medicare if they meet a list of federal requirements regarding conflicts of interest, safety issues, and a number of other concerns about investments.

Title XI of the Social Security Administration now requires pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical supply companies and the like to report their gifts, incentives and perks to doctors, groups, and hospitals. These companies also have to disclose if any doctors own or invest in these drug manufacturers. There are stiff penalties for non-compliance, and this federal law overrides any state or local laws to the contrary.