---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1395w–6"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1395w–6"
heading: "Empowering beneficiary choices through continued access to information on physicians’ services"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1395w-6"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XVIII — Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled"
  - "Part B — Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for Aged and Disabled"
---

# §1395w–6. Empowering beneficiary choices through continued access to information on physicians’ services

- (a) **In general—** On an annual basis (beginning with 2015), the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall make publicly available, in an easily understandable format, information with respect to [physicians](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) and, as appropriate, other eligible professionals on items and services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries under title XVIII of the [Social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1395](/usc/42/1395.md) et seq.).
- (b) **Type and manner of information—** The information made available under this section shall be similar to the type of information in the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: [Physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) and Other Supplier Public Use File released by the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) with respect to 2012 and shall be made available in a manner similar to the manner in which the information in such file is made available.
- (c) **Requirements—** The information made available under this section shall include, at a minimum, the following:
  - (1) Information on the number of services furnished by the [physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) or other eligible professional under part B of title XVIII of the [Social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) Security Act ([42 U.S.C. 1395j](/usc/42/1395j.md) et seq.), which may include information on the most frequent services furnished or groupings of services.
  - (2) Information on submitted charges and payments for services under such part.
  - (3) A unique identifier for the [physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) or other eligible professional that is available to the public, such as a national provider identifier.
- (d) **Searchability—** The information made available under this section shall be searchable by at least the following:
  - (1) The specialty or type of the [physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) or other eligible professional.
  - (2) Characteristics of the services furnished, such as volume or groupings of services.
  - (3) The location of the [physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) or other eligible professional.
- (e) **Integration on physician compare—** Beginning with 2016, the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall integrate the information made available under this section on [Physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) Compare.
- (f) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Eligible professional; physician; Secretary—** The terms “eligible professional”, “[physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7)”, and “[Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6)” have the meaning given such terms in [section 1395w–5(i) of this title](/usc/42/1395w–5.md?p=i).
  - (2) **Physician compare—** The term “[Physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) Compare” means the [Physician](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-7) Compare Internet website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (or a successor website).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–10, title I, § 104, Apr. 16, 2015, 129 Stat. 132.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c)(1), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Title XVIII of the Act is classified generally to this subchapter. Part B of title XVIII of the Act is classified generally to this part. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, and not as part of the Social Security Act which comprises this chapter.