Health Care Coalition pushes for e-prescribing legislation

The technical standards necessary to establish a national electronic prescribing system already have been adopted by physicians and pharmacy software companies, according to a letter to lawmakers from a coalition of health care providers, insurance companies, academics and pharmacies, CQ HealthBeat reports.

The letter, sent last week and addressed to the "bipartisan leadership of key" Senate and House health care committees, stated that while additional standards could allow for more developed functions and features, "they are by no means preventing any physician, pharmacist or patient from realizing the substantial and measurable benefits associated with e-prescribing today" (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 5/23).

The American Medical Association in early May at a forum sponsored by the Brookings Institution's Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform discussed a set of standards that physicians would accept for any e-prescribing requirement under Medicare. Steven Stack, an AMA board member and emergency physician, called on lawmakers to ensure that CMS releases a final rule for e-prescribing standards by the end of 2009. The agency in April issued three standards and intends to release three more. Stack also said that physicians should be permitted at least two years to implement e-prescribing technology before they are subject to Medicare payment reductions and that lawmakers should allow exceptions for physicians with small practices, rural physician offices and emergency cases. AMA also called for the removal of a Drug Enforcement Administration rule that would prohibit e-prescribing of controlled substances (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/12).

The letter's authors included SureScripts, WellPoint and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, CQ HealthBeat reports. Advocates for nationwide implementation of an e-prescribing system say it would benefit the existing system and also help save lives.

Senate Finance Committee Letter

In a separate letter to the Senate Finance Committee, which currently is drafting a Medicare package to address the adoption of e-prescribing by physicians under Medicare, officials from the American College of Cardiology said that e-prescribing is a "necessary tool that will improve patient safety by reducing medical errors, decrease adverse drug events, reduce hospitalizations, improve patient adherence and increase patient satisfaction." The letter urged Congress to move on an "expedited" and "date-certain" time frame for nationwide adoption of an e-prescribing system by the end of 2011 but said lawmakers should allow exceptions for physicians with small practices, rural physician offices and emergency cases.

According to CQ HealthBeat, ACC officials already have asked HHS to develop the final three rules for e-prescribing standards by the end of 2009, in addition to the standards announced last month. Patrick Hope, ACC's legislative policy director, said that initial adoption of the system for Medicare patients will lead to wider adoption. He said, "If you're a practice, you probably wouldn't have one type of system for private payers and one for Medicare, and Medicare being the largest payer" would facilitate a broader acceptance of the technology (CQ HealthBeat, 5/23).