MDs get 5.1 percent bump for Medicare for e-prescribing

Over the next several months, CMS is phasing in some new incentives for provider IT use which, taken collectively, could potentially result in a nice little boost to their income.

After much discussion, CMS issued a final rule establishing an incentive program paying healthcare providers who use e-prescribing systems. CMS agreed that it will pay doctors and other clinicians in Medicare who use qualified e-prescribing systems an incentive payment of 2 percent of their total Medicare-allowed charges during 2009.

To meet Medicare's criteria, eligible physicians must use an e-prescribing system that can communicate with patient pharmacies, generate alerts about possible adverse events and help doctors find appropriate drugs, as well as lower-cost options to those drugs. The rule will become final by December 29, but CMS will accept comments until then.

The new incentives come side by side with CMS's Physician Quality Initiative, which will be eligible for a 2 percent incentive payment. Meanwhile, CMS will begin paying a 1.1 percent Medicare fee schedule increase under MIPPA.

To learn more about these incentives:
- read this iHealthBeat piece [1]

Related Articles:
CMS offers e-prescribing guide [2]
CMS drops e-prescribing loophole [3]
CMS approves Part D e-prescribing standards [4]
Feds outline Medicare incentive for e-prescribing [5]