Senators Kerry, Ensign Introduce E-Prescribing Bill to Modernize Medicine and Save Lives

I saw one source say the one time grant could be as high as $2000.00.
Similar incentives are being proposed by others for Medicaid and the Commercial plans.
Waivers are in place for hardship cases, though the time line for completion is shorter than many would find reasonable.
Contact your local Senator let them know what you think about e-Prescribing and the time line.
Thank you Senators Kerry and Ensign. SV

Specifically, the bill would:

1. Provide permanent Medicare funding for one-time grants to physicians to help offset the start-up costs to physicians of acquiring and implementing e-prescribing technology.

2. Provide permanent Medicare funding for payment bonuses to physicians for use of e-prescribing. For every Medicare prescription that is written electronically, physicians will be paid an extra 1% bonus.

3. Starting on Jan 1, 2011, physicians will be required to write their Medicare outpatient prescriptions electronically. Physicians that continue to write prescriptions by hand will face a per-claim financial penalty.

4. The Secretary of HHS will be given authority to grant one- or two-year hardship waivers for physicians who face particular difficulties in acquiring and implementing e-prescribing – especially those from rural areas or very small (or solo) practices

5. GAO and CMS will be directed to report within two years on the status of e-prescribing adoption within Medicare

Kerry