UAB Synopsis, Vol. 24, No. 13, April 11, 2005
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt announced new proposed regulations to support electronic prescriptions for Medicare, as the prescription drug benefit takes effect in January 2006. "These proposed e-prescription rules would set standards to help Medicare, physicians, and pharmacies take advantage of new technology that can improve the health care of seniors and persons with disabilities," Secretary Leavitt says.
Electronic prescribing, or "e-prescribing," enables a physician to transmit a prescription electronically to the patient's pharmacy. It also enables physicians and pharmacies to obtain information about the patient's eligibility and medication history from drug plans.
"We are committed to widespread use of e-prescribing as quickly as possible," Mark B. McClellan, MD, PhD, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator, says. "In issuing these proposed rules 7 months ahead of the Medicare Modernization Act's (MMA) deadline, we are laying the foundation for having major e-prescribing standards in place when the Medicare drug benefit begins."
The proposed regulations are an important part of MMA, signed into law by President Bush on December 8, 2003. As part of MMA, Medicare will require drug plans participating in the new prescription drug benefit to support electronic prescribing, but it will be voluntary for physicians and pharmacies. HHS hopes the early establishment of standards and steps to encourage adoption of effective e-prescribing programs will make e-prescribing more attractive.
The HHS secretary says e-prescribing can improve patient safety and reduce avoidable health care costs by decreasing prescription errors due to hard-to-read physician handwriting and by automated checks for drug interactions and allergies. E-prescribing also can help make sure patients and health professionals have the best and latest medical information when choosing medicines, enabling beneficiaries to get the most benefits at the lowest cost.
The proposed rule was published in the February 4 Federal Register. Public comments were accepted through April 5. For more information, visit the CMS Web site at: www.cms.hhs.gov.