According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in its second year, the Medicare Electronic-Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program, has issued over 2 million dollars to optometrists in bonus payments.
Each optometrist who qualified for payments during 2010 (around 936) received an average of $2,462.40, and incentive payments to optometrists ranged from $23,277.04 to $96.99.
Those health care practitioners who issued Rx’s electronically at least 25 times over the course of the calender year were eligible to receive bonus payments through the Medicare eRx Incentive Program, as long as they reported their e-prescribing through special registries or on Medicare claims.
To be eligible, the practitioner must have had an eRx software system that was either part of an EHR package or freestanding.
As EHR are becoming mandatory not only to receive bonuses but eventually avoid penalties, it is becoming apparent that all optometric practices should be e-prescribing and pursuing these bonuses, and making sure optometry continues to play an integral role in the overall health care system and deliver quality care.
