ODs are exempt from the payment adjustment scheduled to take place in 2014 for E-Prescribing.

If optometrists e-prescribe for Medicare patients with an office visit 25 times during the year, they can receive a 0.5% e-prescribing incentive bonus on all allowable Medicare charges for the year. They  must report code G8553 on Medicare claims with an office visit to get credit. ODs can get the e-prescribing incentive bonus and the PQRS bonus and the Medicaid EHR incentive. The only two ODs cannot do together are e-prescribing incentive and Medicare EHR incentive.

All ODs are encouraged to begin e-prescribing, if they are not already doing so. It is a core requirement of stage 1 and stage 2 meaningful use.

For ODs not ready for meaningful use, e-prescribing is a great way to start using computers for patient care.

For ODs who have an EHR, talk to the vendor and utilize the integrated e-prescribing.

For ODs who do not have an EHR, visit NEPSI www.nationalerx.com which has free e-prescribing for every physician in America.