CMS levied a 1 percent fee on physicians who did not use e-prescribing at least 10 times during the first six months of 2011, but offered a hardship exemption for physicians who qualified. However, CMS was unable to process the exemption requests before issuing the 1 percent fee. A CMS spokesperson said it’s the responsibility of Medicare contractors to decide if physicians are eligible for the exemption.
The American Medical Association is lobbying CMS to re-evaluate the penalty timelines associated with the government e-prescribing program. The fee CMS charges physicians for not using enough e-prescribing with patient orders will increase to 1.5 percent beginning 2013 and 2 percent by 2014.
More Articles on E-Prescribing:
Study: E-Prescribing Could Improve Patient Outcomes, Save Healthcare Billions
CMS Report Shows Growth in Physician Quality Reporting System and e-Prescribing Program
Electronic Prescribing Initiative to Prevent Medication Errors Grows 33%
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