While we have seen many news stories regarding H.R. 6331’s rollback of the scheduled 10.6% Medicare reimbursement cuts, there has been virtually no coverage regarding the bill’s groundbreaking provisions calling for Medicare bonuses for providers who adopt and regularly utilize electronic prescribing. Therefore, let’s take a few minutes to discuss some of the basics.

H.R. 6331 employs a carrot and stick approach to promoting e-prescribing. The planned bonuses for e-prescribers and penalties for providers who do not use e-prescribing are as follows:

2009 - Bonus: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement PLUS 2 %
2010 - Bonus: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement PLUS 2 %
2011 - Bonus: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement PLUS 1 %
2012 - Bonus: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement PLUS 1 %
2012 - Penalty: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement MINUS 1 %
2013 - Bonus: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement PLUS 0.5 %
2013 - Penalty: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement MINUS 1.5 %
2014 - Penalty: Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement MINUS 2 %

(Every year following 2014- Medicare Fee Schedule Reimbursement MINUS 2 %)

In tomorrow’s blog, we will delve more deeply into the question of how you can qualify to receive the e-prescribing bonus and avoid being penalized.

 Labels :  CMS, E-Prescribing,Healthcare IT, Medicare/Medicaid, Reimbursement 

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