Schwartz: E-prescriptions
are a great cure

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz points to statistics showing that there are about 1.5 million errors every year in prescription medicine transactions in the United States.
Poor handwriting is usually the reason that the order changes as it goes from the doctor to the pharmacy to the patient.
When an individual takes the wrong medication, either by itself or with other drugs, it can cause an adverse reaction and result in a trip to the doctor’s office or hospitalization. Sometimes, it can lead to death. Often, the mistake turns into higher medical bills for the consumer.
"There’s a cost in lives and a cost in money," Schwartz said.
Last December, Schwartz (D-13th dist.) and two colleagues in the House of Representatives introduced the E-MEDS Act of 2007.
Since then, Schwartz became the lead advocate for the measure in the House and, specifically, the Ways and Means Committee. She and her staff worked with Democratic Sens. John Kerry (Mass.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), who sponsored a companion bill in the Senate.
As Congress was considering the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, Schwartz succeeded in including the E-MEDS language in that bill.
The House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill. But, on July 15, President George W. Bush vetoed it.
The president argued that the bill cut $12 billion in payments to insurance companies that provide private Medicare Advantage plans and that the cut would force 2.3 million people to leave the plan, resulting in higher drug costs and reduced choices.
On the same day as the veto, the House voted 383-41 and the Senate 70-26 to override the veto. Those votes were greater than the original passage (355-59 in the House, 69-30 in the Senate).
Schwartz’s language requires doctors who accept Medicare to move toward electronic prescribing of prescriptions.
Since about 97 percent of doctors accept Medicare, there will be near universal use of e-prescribing, assuming doctors decide to electronically prescribe medication for their younger patients.
"This will have a positive effect for all patients," Schwartz said.
Doctors will be given reimbursements up to $2,000 for the equipment they’ll need to file electronic prescriptions. Schwartz said a hand-held device will do, though doctors can use a computer.
A 1-percent bonus for the administrative costs attached to every electronic Medicare prescription will be paid to doctors.
The new way of writing Medicare prescriptions will be mandatory by 2011. Doctors who continue to scribble their prescriptions on paper will be subject to financial penalties.
The language exempts any doctors who practice in remote rural areas that don’t have computer access. Pediatricians and many obstetricians/gynecologists would also not be affected.
The senior citizen lobbying group AARP supported the Schwartz language.
Estimates are that fewer than 10 percent of doctors prescribe drugs electronically.
Schwartz said the errors are preventable. She describes the reform as forward-thinking and common sense and one that will be a "very significant step" for care and service provided by physicians and pharmacists.
"It advances the use of information technology in the health-care sector," she said.
The overall bill was passed to halt a proposed 10.6-percent cut in Medicare reimbursement payments to doctors. Instead, there will be a 1.1 percent increase in 2009. For consumers, there will be improved preventive and mental health benefits.
Some 44 million Americans age 65 and older are enrolled in Medicare. Another 9.2 million active and retired military personnel and their families are part of a health system that uses payment rates set by Medicare.
The bill was supported by the American Medical Association. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com