The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, Washington, D.C.) has issued a proposed rule that would establish new policies and payment rates for physicians and other providers who are paid under the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS). This proposal is part of CMS's strategy to encourage adoption of e-prescribing.
Included in the proposed rule is a provision that would eliminate the exemption for computer generated faxes from the e-prescribing standards.
According to CMS, it conducted a five-site pilot project in 2006 to test e-prescribing standards, including transactions that can communicate formulary and benefit and medication history information to the prescriber at the point of care. CMS contends it plans to move forward with a proposed rule to adopt additional standards that the pilot showed to be effective.
