The release of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program final rule provides much needed relief for you and your peers, health information technology experts tell Part B News. Earning up to $44,000 in Medicare incentives is now within reach for practices.

You'll face financial consequences beginning in 2012 if you fail to electronically prescribe drugs for your patients in 2011. Your Medicare reimbursements will decrease by 1% in 2012 and by 1.5% in 2013 for not adopting e-prescribing technology next year, CMS states in the proposed 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Eye doctors would be the biggest winners in 2011 when it comes to Medicare payment, a Part B News analysis of the proposed physician fee schedule (PFS) shows. While primary care practices are poised to see the biggest pay boosts of all thanks to health reform (PBN 7/5/10), ophthalmologists and optometrists would get a 4% raise in 2011 that would double to 8% in 2013, if the proposed PFS is finalized.

Watch out for prefered provider organizations (PPOs) you deal with that are affiliated with "wraparound networks." These networks are not illegal, but they create problems for physicians when they don't know they're in one and end up billing patients incorrectly.

Download the July Tool of the Month from the Part B News online Hot Documents library at www.partbnews.com today. The tool is a checklist to help you track that your electronic health record (EHR) system meets meaningful use requirements and you will qualify for EHR Incentive Program bonuses.