[Med-privacy] e-prescribing

[peter marshall]

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Incentives for doctors to use electronic prescribing that were included=20=

in the recently passed Medicare bill could reduce medication errors and=20=

save Medicare almost $2.1 billion over 10 years, according to the=20
Congressional Budget Office.

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA)=20
provides financial incentives to doctors who adopt electronic=20
prescribing technology beginning in 2009. In 2009 and 2010, doctors who=20=

use electronic prescribing will receive a 2 percent bonus payment for=20
certain services. In 2011 and 2012 that bonus decreases to 1 percent=20
and to 0.5 percent in 2013. Doctors who do not adopt electronic=20
prescribing may face penalties, such as payment reductions, beginning=20
in 2012. For doctors who are unable to use electronic prescribing=97such=20=

as rural providers who may not have sufficient internet access=97the =
U.S.=20
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may create a hardship=20
exception.

Estimates by the Institute of Medicine indicate that about 7,000 people=20=

die each year because of medication errors. These errors can result=20
from illegible handwriting, drug to drug interactions, or drug=20
allergies. Supporters of electronic prescribing believe that these=20
problems can be avoided with electronic prescribing. Electronic=20
prescribing will eliminate problems with illegible handwriting and may=20=

provide warnings to the doctor or pharmacist about potential drug=20
interactions or allergies. In addition, use of electronic prescribing=20
may lead to lower drug costs for patients by alerting doctors to=20
available generics for the drug the doctor would like to prescribe.

Even with these potential benefits, there are concerns about the use of=20=

electronic prescribing. Privacy advocates are concerned about the use=20
and security of patient information. According to a recent article in=20
the Washington Post, prescription data is being used by health insurers=20=

to assess the health of prospective enrolees.=A0Patients are effectively=20=

forced to authorize a release of such data if they want to receive=20
insurance. Privacy advocates do not want patient data sold to third=20
parties for commercial purposes.

The MIPPA does not include any privacy protections, but calls on the=20
Government Accountability Office to issue a report by September 2012=20
addressing the extent to which the privacy and security of personal=20
health information of people with Medicare is protected when the=20
prescription drug information is used for purposes other than health=20
care=97such as commercial uses.

Currently, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate are=20
considering bills that would address privacy concerns when using=20
electronic prescribing and electronic health records. Congressman John=20=

Dingell, Democrat of Michigan, and Congressman Joe Barton, Republican=20
of Texas, have introduced the Pro(Tech)T Act of 2008 (HR 6357) and=20
Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Senator Mike=20
Enzi, Republican of Wyoming, have introduced the Wired for Health Care=20=

Quality Act (S. 1693).=A0=A0

[Medicare Watch]=

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<fontfamily><param>Verdana</param>Incentives for doctors to use
electronic prescribing that were included in the recently passed
Medicare bill could reduce medication errors and save Medicare almost
$2.1 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget
Office.


The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA)
provides financial incentives to doctors who adopt electronic
prescribing technology beginning in 2009. In 2009 and 2010, doctors
who use electronic prescribing will receive a 2 percent bonus payment
for certain services. In 2011 and 2012 that bonus decreases to 1
percent and to 0.5 percent in 2013. Doctors who do not adopt
electronic prescribing may face penalties, such as payment reductions,
beginning in 2012. For doctors who are unable to use electronic
prescribing=97such as rural providers who may not have sufficient
internet access=97the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
may create a hardship exception.


Estimates by the Institute of Medicine indicate that about 7,000
people die each year because of medication errors. These errors can
result from illegible handwriting, drug to drug interactions, or drug
allergies. Supporters of electronic prescribing believe that these
problems can be avoided with electronic prescribing. Electronic
prescribing will eliminate problems with illegible handwriting and may
provide warnings to the doctor or pharmacist about potential drug
interactions or allergies. In addition, use of electronic prescribing
may lead to lower drug costs for patients by alerting doctors to
available generics for the drug the doctor would like to prescribe.


Even with these potential benefits, there are concerns about the use
of electronic prescribing. Privacy advocates are concerned about the
use and security of patient information. According to a recent article
in the Washington Post, prescription data is being used by health
insurers to assess the health of prospective enrolees.=A0Patients are
effectively forced to authorize a release of such data if they want to
receive insurance. Privacy advocates do not want patient data sold to
third parties for commercial purposes.


The MIPPA does not include any privacy protections, but calls on the
Government Accountability Office to issue a report by September 2012
addressing the extent to which the privacy and security of personal
health information of people with Medicare is protected when the
prescription drug information is used for purposes other than health
care=97such as commercial uses.


Currently, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate are
considering bills that would address privacy concerns when using
electronic prescribing and electronic health records. Congressman John
Dingell, Democrat of Michigan, and Congressman Joe Barton, Republican
of Texas, have introduced the Pro(Tech)T Act of 2008 (HR 6357) and
Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Senator Mike
Enzi, Republican of Wyoming, have introduced the Wired for Health Care
Quality Act (S. 1693).=A0<bold>=A0


[Medicare Watch]</bold></fontfamily>=

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