Endocrine Insider
August 19, 2009

(See Full Issue)

In the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2010 Medicare Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, the agency proposes to alter the reporting requirements for its e-prescribing program. The program, which began in January of this year, currently provides a two percent bonus to physicians reporting e-prescribing measures on at least 50 percent of all eligible claims. In 2010, reporting requirements will ease, and if the proposal is finalized, physicians would only be required to report that they have successfully e-prescribed a total of 25 times throughout the calendar year to earn the two percent bonus. As in 2009, to qualify for e-prescribing, physicians must have at least 10 percent of their allowed charges arise from professional services eligible for use with an e-prescribing measure.

In addition to easing the e-prescribing requirements, CMS also plans to eliminate two codes currently allowed for use by physicians to document when they do not e-prescribe or when they prescribe a controlled substance (G8445 and G8446). Instead, in 2010, physicians will be required to report a total of 25 times, but only when an electronic prescription is issued.  CMS also expects that physicians will have multiple options for reporting the e-prescribing measure, including claims-based reporting, a new registry-based reporting option and potentially an electronic health record reporting option. CMS plans to finalize whether the electronic health record reporting option will be available when it publishes its final rule on this policy in November.

Physicians choosing not to participate in the e-prescribing program will face Medicare payment reductions of one percent beginning in 2012, increasing to two percent in 2014 and beyond.

Endocrine Society staff will continue to keep you updated through Endocrine Insider on any changes to the e-prescribing program for 2010.