Practice Management & Allied Staff
News & Materials
CMS Releases Final E-Prescribing Rule
July 24th, 2006
CMS has released a final rule to adopt foundation standards for electronic prescribing under the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. The standards were published in the November 7 Federal Register and will go into effect on January 1, 2006.
CMS will begin testing the standards in 2006 and final uniform standards will be released no later than April 1, 2008. E-prescribing is voluntary for physicians and pharmacies, but for physicians and pharmacies that choose to e-prescribe Medicare-covered drugs for enrolled individuals, compliance with the standards will be required. The e-prescribing standards cover transactions between prescribers and dispensers for new prescriptions, requests for refills, changes and cancellations, as well as related messaging and administrative transactions between prescribers and dispensers. In addition, the standards cover eligibility queries, responses between prescribers and prescription drug plans and responses between dispensers and prescription drug plan sponsors (PDPs). For more information, please visit: Electronic Orders for Controlled Substance (DEA Final Rule and Notice); and E-Prescribing Issue Paper (Issue Paper #14).