CMS finalizes e-prescribing standards
Executive Summary
Although pilot testing questioned the usefulness of pharmacies alerting physicians of the status of whether a prescription was filled, prescriber comments to the proposed e-prescribing standards rule "indicate that they perceived real value in RxFill for prescribers whose patients with chronic conditions may benefit from closer medication adherence monitoring," CMS said in its final e-prescribing standards under Medicare Part D rule. The final rule, scheduled to be published April 7, does not make the use of e-prescribing mandatory, but requires the use of the standards for those who engage in electronic prescribing. Five other standards that were proposed in a Nov. 16, 2007 rule are adopted in the 1final rule (2"The Pink Sheet," Nov. 19, 2007, p. 19). The rule also establishes a compliance date of one year after the publication of the final standards...