ACC: Cards need to prepare for e-prescribing incentive program

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is informing practitioners who are subject to the 2012 e-prescribing penalty they should have already received notification from their Medicare contractor of their failure to meet the requirements for avoiding the 2012 e-prescribing payment adjustment.

January was the beginning of a new year for the E-Prescribing Incentive Program.

Those who meet all of Medicare’s requirements can earn an additional 1 percent on top of their Medicare Part B earnings. In order to qualify for the incentive payment, practitioners must e-prescribe at least 25 times between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, perform the e-prescribing at the time a service included in the denominator is provided, signify the e-prescription by reporting G-8553 on claims submitted to Medicare or through a registry, and not be participating in the EHR Incentive Program.

According to the ACC, it’s important to note physicians participating in the EHR Incentive Program must also participate in the E-Prescribing Incentive Program to avoid the 2013 penalty.

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