Home » Knowledge Center » Coding » AAFP Releases New Electronic Prescribing Resource
Knowledge Center
Hot Topics

AAFP Releases New Electronic Prescribing Resource

Print Post

The American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP) has created a new resource to help family physicians understand how they can earn a 1 percent incentive payment for electronic prescribing (e-Rx) in 2011 and avoid a 1 percent penalty in 2012. The three-page document lists three ways physicians can earn the e-Rx incentive, and four ways physicians can avoid the penalty.

The AAFP clarifies e-Rx requirements as such:

4 Ways to Avoid the Penalty 3 Ways to Earn the Incentive*
Jan. 1 – June 30,2011 Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2011
  1. Submit 10 Medicare Part B claims with code G8553 and a code for a service in the denominator on the same date.

(Even physicians who earn the e-Rx incentive by using the EHR or registry reporting options will be penalized if they do not submit 10 claims prior to 6/30/11.)

  1. Report 1 claim with code G8644 to indicate that you do not have prescribing privileges.
  2. Report 1 claim with code G8642 to request a hardship exception due to no high-speed internet availability
  3. Report 1 claim with G8643 to request a hardship exception due to lack of pharmacies in the area that are able to receive e-Rx.
  1. Submit 25 Medicare Part B claims with code G8553 (10 of these claims could be the ones submitted prior to June 30 to avoid the penalty.)
  2. Submit data for this period from a CMS-selected EHR during the first quarter of 2012
  3. Submit data for this period through a CMS-selected registry during the first quarter of 2012 (Data may be entered into the registry at any time during the period.)

*Earning an incentive in 2011 will also exempt you from a penalty in 2013.

The AAFP document also provides answers to commonly asked questions, such as:

  • What is code G8553, and when do I report it?
  • What are the denominator codes?
  • What is a qualified e-Rx system?
  • Does the penalty apply to all physicians and non-physician professionals?
  • Does participation in the Medicare EHR incentive program exempt me from the penalty?

Download the eRxtips document from the AAFP website.

admin aapc

Latest posts by admin aapc (see all)

Related posts:

  1. Free E-prescribing Guide for Practices Updated
  2. 2011 eRx Incentive Final Rule Posted
  3. CMS to Adjust eRx Payments
  4. New DEA Regs Allow “Meaningful EHR Use”
Tagged :

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hot Topics

  • ads

  • Webinars

  • Latest Poll

    How do you use your medical coding eBooks?