Endocrine Insider
November 13, 2008

Physicians looking to increase payment for their services have a few options available to them in 2009. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released information on physician payment for next year. In addition to the 1.1 percent payment increase passed by Congress under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) in late summer, physicians can also earn an additional 2 percent payment for participation in a new electronic prescribing, or e-prescribing, initiative. Physicians and other medical professionals who adopt e-prescribing systems to submit prescriptions to pharmacies can earn this increased payment beginning January 1. Physicians also choosing to participate in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) can earn an additional 2 percent in incentive payments from CMS for reporting quality measures.

All Medicare-participating physicians will automatically receive the 1.1 percent payment update from MIPPA. To participate in the e-prescribing program, physicians must use qualified e-prescribing capabilities, and must report one of three codes for the e-prescribing measure when submitting medical claims. Additional details on the e-prescribing program and how to participate can be found here.

CMS has also increased its physician incentive payments for the PQRI from 1.5 percent in 2007 and 2008 to 2 percent in 2009 and 2010. The PQRI program was launched in July 2007 and has grown to include more than 150 quality measures on a variety of health issues including diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and others. More information on the PQRI program and how to participate can be found here.