There has been a significant increase in the amount of incentive payments distributed through CMS' electronic prescribing program, according to a recent CMS report, Modern Healthcare reports.
The report -- titled, "2010 Physician Quality Reporting System and eRx Experience Report" -- also found that the amount of payments and the number of participants has increased for CMS' Physician Quality Reporting System.
E-Prescribing Program Findings
For the e-prescribing program, the report found that the amount of incentive payments distributed grew from $148.7 million in 2009 to $270.9 million in 2010, an 83% increase.
In 2010, 65,857 eligible health care providers received an average e-prescribing incentive payment of $3,836 and 18,713 medical practices received an average e-prescribing incentive payment of $14,476, the report noted.
According to the report, the specialties with the highest rate of participation in the e-prescribing program in 2010 were:
- Cardiology, with 35.4% of eligible health care providers participating;
- Ophthalmology, with 33.8% participating; and
- Rheumatology, with 31.7% participating.
The report noted that payment adjustments will begin this year for certain health care providers who do not meet the reporting requirements of the e-prescribing program (Robeznieks, Modern Healthcare, 4/1).