Health care professionals have one more week to become a successful electronic prescriber (eRx) before a 1.5 percent downward payment adjustment is implemented for 2013. To avoid the penalty at least 10 electronic prescriptions for Medicare patients should have been submitted between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2012.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) may exempt professionals from the 2013 eRx payment adjustment if e-prescribing results in significant hardship. Click here to submit a hardship exemption request. Hardships must be submitted by June 30, 2012.

It is very important that physicians and their practices begin e-prescribing if they have not done so already.  For those who do not e-prescribe, you are at risk for the 2014 payment penalty, which will implement a two percent downward payment adjustment.  

View the Participation for the Incentive Payment Made Simple document provided by CMS for more information about e-prescribing.