Feds outline Medicare incentives for e-prescribing

Now that the Medicare bill has passed, a new set of e-prescribing incentives will soon be rolling out as well. This week, HHS leaders spelled out just how the incentives would work. The incentives are intended to offset the costs of implementing the new technology, which should cost each doctor about $3,000 to adopt, along with monthly costs of roughly $80 to $400 to maintain their e-prescribing system, according to CMS Administrator Kerry Weems.

Under the new law, physicians who adopt e-prescribing technology in 2009 and 2010 will get a 2 percent bonus in their Medicare payments. Later, in 2011 and 2012, physicians who adopt e-prescribing will get a 1 percent bonus. Those who adopt in 2013 will get a 0.5 percent bonus. Meanwhile, those who don't adopt e-prescribing will pay a growing penalty, starting with a Medicare payment cut of 1 percent in 2012, 1.5 percent in 2013 and 2 percent in 2014.

To learn more about CMS's plans:
- read this Associated Press article [1]

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HHS head encourages payers to demand e-prescribing [3]
DEA may allow e-prescribing of controlled substances [4]
E-prescribing: What's holding it back? [5]