These are exciting times for electronic prescribing. We have definitely entered and are playing in the political arena’s sandbox. And so far, everyone seems to be playing well together. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, on July 9, 2008 the Senate approved a Medicare bill that, among other things, will provide financial incentives for physicians to use electronic prescribing. The bill is called the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (HR 6331). According to the bill, physicians who use electronic prescribing for their Medicare patients will be eligible for incentive payments of 2% in 2009 and 2010, 1% in 2011 and 2012, and 0.5% in 2013. Doctors who do not use electronic prescribing by 2012 will see a pay cut of 2%.
A major part of the bill was a halt to a scheduled pay cut of 10.6% to Medicare physicians. The President vetoed the bill stating that he supported rescinding the pay cut, but objected to the way lawmakers would finance the plan, largely by reducing spending on private health plans serving the elderly and disabled. However, the Senate voted 70-26 to override a presidential veto of the bill and the House voted 383-41 to override it.
To listen to a podcast discussing the Medicare e-prescribing incentives and what e-prescribing is all about, go to http://prwebpodcast.com/releases/pod1105664.htm.
