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Section 132 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) authorizes a new and separate incentive program for eligible professionals who are successful electronic prescribers (e-Prescribers) as defined by MIPPA. This new incentive is separate from and is in addition to the quality reporting incentive program authorized by Division B of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 - Medicare Improvements and Extension Act of 2006 (TRHCA-MIEA) and known as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). Eligible professionals do not need to participate in PQRI to participate in the E-Prescribing Incentive Program. For the 2009 e-prescribing reporting year, to be a successful e-prescriber and to receive an incentive payment, an eligible professional must report one e-prescribing measure in at least 50% of the cases in which the measure is reportable by the eligible professional during 2009. No Sign Up or Pre-Registration There is no sign-up or pre-registration to participate in the E-Prescribing Incentive Program. However, there are certain limitations for participation. First, eligible professionals must have and use a qualified e-prescribing system. Second, at least 10% of eligible professionals' Medicare Part B covered services must be made up of codes that appear in the denominator of the e-prescribing measure. Beginning January 1, 2009, eligible professionals can participate by reporting on their adoption and use of an e-prescribing system by submitting claims information on one e-prescribing measure on their Medicare Part B claims. The specifications for reporting the measure that will be used to determine if an eligible professional is a successful e-prescriber and qualify for a 2% incentive payment for 2009 can be found in the "Downloads" section below. This document also provides the definition of a "qualified e-prescribing system." Please note that specifications for this measure are subject to additional revisions prior to January 1, 2009. In addition to the e-prescribing specifications document, a step-by-step guide, to help eligible professionals: 1) determine their eligibility to participate in the e-prescribing incentive program, and 2) walks an eligible professional through the e-prescribing process, has been created. "2009 Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing) Incentive Program Made Simple" is available in the "Downloads" section below. Detailed information about the criteria that CMS will use to determine what eligible professionals the e-prescribing incentive applies to and how "successful e-Prescriber" is defined for 2009 are described in section O2 of the final 2009 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) rule (73 FR 69847 through 69852) that was published in the Federal Register on November 19, 2008. To view the entire 2009 PFS final rule with comment period, click on the relevant link in the "Related Links Outside CMS" section below. Additional information on the E-Prescribing Incentive Program can be found in the "Medicare's Practical Guide to the E-Prescribing Incentive Program" document in the "Related Links Inside CMS" section below. A Fact Sheet describing the e-Prescribing Incentive as authorized by MIPPA can be found in the "Downloads" section below. A link to the MIPPA legislation can be found in the "Related Links Outside CMS" section below. General information on e-prescribing, including standards for e-prescribing systems, can be found in the "Related Links Inside CMS" section below.
Page Last Modified: 12/30/2008 10:16:28 AM
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