Letter Pushes Medicare E-Scripts

HDM Breaking News, May 1, 2008

Forty-four businesses and organizations have signed a letter to Congress asking that legislation to mandate electronic prescribing for the Medicare program be approved.

The letter was sent May 1 to leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce committees. “We urge you to actively support passage of the Medicare Electronic Medication and Safety Protection Act of 2007 (S. 2408 & H.R. 4296) this year to reduce deadly and costly prescription medication errors,” the letter states. “We, the undersigned, represent more than 210 million Americans through consumer and labor groups, employers, public purchasers, physician groups, pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, and other prescription drug stakeholders.”

The letter notes that there is increasing consensus that electronic prescribing improves patient safety, yet less than 10% of physicians use the technology. It also reminds lawmakers that Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt has called for linking use of electronic prescriptions to Medicare reimbursements.

“In addition to the beneficial safety aspects of electronic prescribing, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has estimated that there would be increased administrative efficiencies for physician offices and pharmacies, as well as significant cost savings for patients and payers through access to lower-cost brand and generic medications,” according to the letter. “And most recently, a survey conducted by the Southeast Michigan ePrescribing Initiative found that 9 of 10 physicians and their staff who had implemented e-prescribing said it met or exceeded their expectations. Over 70% of physicians reported being very satisfied with the system and almost 70% strongly agreed that e-prescribing improves the quality of patient care.”

Many of the organizations signing the letter cooperated last year to send two similar letters to Congress in August and October. Full text of the May 1 letter and a listing of signers is available at pcmanet.org.

Text of the legislation is available at congress.gov.

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