Further Clarification of eRx Penalty and Hardship ExemptionThe Medicare eRx Incentive Program is turning out to be the Full Employment for Healthcare Writers program.  Last week we described how anesthesiologists, pain physicians and nurse anesthetists with prescribing privileges could apply for a hardship exemption using a new CMS web page, the Communication Support Page.   “Most anesthesiologists … will not qualify for either the eRx bonus or the eRx penalty because they submit very few electronic prescriptions and report very few of the outpatient visits encompassed by the eRx measure.”We would like to reemphasize this point.  Anesthesiologists are not subject to any eRx penalty this year if they did not:Submit claims to Medicare for at least 100 outpatient or office visits, for dates of service between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011.  Only those evaluation and management services identified by one of the CPT™ codes in the measure specification (including codes 99201,...