225

1 AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2 3 4 Resolution: 225 5 (A-09) 6 7Introduced by: New Mexico Delegation 8 9Subject: Request that CMS Lower the Minimum Threshold for E-Prescribing Rebate 10 from 50% to 25% for 2009 11 12Referred to: Reference Committee B 13 (Monica C. Wehby, MD, Chair) 14 15 16Whereas, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering an incentive payment to any 17physician amounting to 2% of Medicare charges if the physician reaches a threshold of 50% of 18all visits having eligible prescriptions submitted to pharmacies via certified E-prescribing 19software in calendar year 2009; and 20 21Whereas, In order for a physician to be able to submit prescriptions electronically, the E22prescribing software being used must have been certified by RxHub/SureScripts; and 23 24Whereas, Required certification of E-prescribing software is currently backlogged by a number 25of months; and 26 27Whereas, If a physician is not able to start E-prescribing before the second half of calendar year 282009, there is no way of meeting the 50% requirement to receive the incentive payment, but 29because of the certification backlog, many physicians who in good faith purchased an EHR 30which promised E-prescribing capability are still unable to E-prescribe because of pending 31certification; and 32 33Whereas, Physicians who have made a substantial investment in EHR technology should not be 34penalized because of certification backlogs that are not under the physicians' control; and 35 36Whereas, Only a very small percentage of practicing physicians (currently estimated as less 37than 10%) are actively E-prescribing despite the fact that a considerably higher percentage 38have invested in EHR's; therefore be it 39 40RESOLVED, That in order for physicians to be able to receive the 2% `Medicare rebate for 41electronic prescribing, our American Medical Association request that the Centers for Medicare 42& Medicaid Services lower the required threshold percentage of visits with eligible prescriptions 43sent to pharmacies electronically in calendar year 2009, from 50% to 25%, thereby allowing a 44later start of E-prescribing during 2009 without physicians being penalized for the considerable 45backlog in E-prescribing certification. (Directive to Take Action) 46 47Fiscal Note: Implement accordingly at estimated staff cost of $2,000. 48 49Received: 05/14/09