Medicare pay cut for doctors not in e-prescribing program
(HealthDay)—Medicare-participating physicians who failed to meet the requirements for Medicare's Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program in 2012 are being informed of their penalty for 2013, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Eligible physicians who did not meet the requirements for the eRx program in 2012 will be informed of a penalty, resulting in a 1.5 percent Medicare pay cut, in 2013. Physicians can still request hardship exemptions via the CMS and avoid the 2013 penalty.
Hardship exemptions are available for certain physicians, including those working in rural areas with limited or no access to high-speed Internet and those who work in areas where the number of pharmacies that have implemented e-prescribing is limited. Physicians who write fewer than 100 prescriptions per month during a six-month period, and those who cannot e-prescribe due to local, state, or federal regulations are also exempt. These physicians will not face a penalty, while physicians who are eligible and do not participate in 2013 will face an increased Medicare penalty in the form of a 2 percent pay cut in 2014.
According to the report, "physicians who disagree with CMS' determination of a penalty assessment may submit an informal review request by e-mail. CMS will accept review requests through Feb. 28."
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