Opinion
E-prescribing cost should be borne by companies who will reap the benefit
LETTER — Posted Aug. 25, 2008
Regarding "E-prescribers see Medicare bonus, but late adopters will face pay cut" (Article, Aug. 4): Not surprisingly, the issue of e-prescribing has been resolved with the creation of yet another expensive mandate to physicians. The burden will fall most heavily on primary care physicians, the physicians least able to afford it.
Considering that the financial benefits will accrue predominately to insurers and pharmaceutical benefit managers, one wonders why the issue of financing did not fall upon them. Certainly, insurers and PBMs could afford a 2% tax/penalty much more than small office physicians.
Undoubtedly, the prices of e-prescribing programs will increase to match any government subsidy, and physicians will have to reach into their own pockets to pay for such systems.
That this result is anything but a loss for physicians is unquestionable, and yet another deterrent to practicing medicine in America.
Stephen Kirk, MD, Salem, N.H.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/08/25/edlt0825.htm.
