New HHS Secretary Announces Medicare ePrescribing Standards

Newly confirmed HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt has announced proposed regulations that would facilitate the use of electronic prescriptions when the Medicare drug benefit takes effect next January.

"These proposed eprescription rules would set standards to help Medicare, physicians and pharmacies take advantage of new technology that can improve the healthcare of seniors and persons with disabilities," Leavitt said.

The proposal would adopt standards for:

Transactions between prescribers and dispensers for new prescriptions, prescription refill request and response, prescription change request and response, prescription cancellation request and response, and related messaging and administrative transactions;

Eligibility and benefits inquiries and responses between drug prescribers and prescription drug plans;

Eligibility and benefits inquiries and responses between dispensers and Part D sponsors; and

Formulary and benefit coverage information, including information on the availability of less-expensive therapeutically appropriate alternative drugs, if certain characteristics are met.

The proposed Medicare rule is scheduled to be published in today's issue of the Federal Register. HHS will accept public comments through April 5. For more information, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov (http://www.cms.hhs.gov).