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National Incentive Program
Medicare Part D
In January 1, 2006, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) created Medicare Part D, a comprehensive voluntary prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients.
Prescription drug plans participating as Medicare Part D Plans are required to participate in e-prescribing but participation is optional for physicians and pharmacies. On November 1, 2005 the US Department of Health & Human Services adopted electronic prescribing standards for Medicare Part D Plans. The standards cover:
- Transactions between prescribers (who write prescriptions) and dispensers (who fill prescriptions) for new prescriptions; refill requests and responses; prescription change requests and responses; prescription cancellation, request and response; and related messaging and administrative transactions;
- Eligibility and benefits queries and responses between prescribers and Part D sponsors; and
- Eligibility queries between dispensers and Part D sponsors.
To test these standards the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) awarded grants to five pilot sites to test the developed standards. CMS is currently testing several more standards and a final e-prescribing rule will be issued no later than April 1, 2008.
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/EPrescribing/
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