July 2019 | www.ademedsociety.org
The Colorado Candor Act 
goes into effect July 1, 2019
An Overview of the Colorado Candor Act
Recently passed legislation offers a new approach to addressing adverse outcomes with patients
 
By Jean Martin, MD, JD
COPIC Legal Department
 
The recently passed Colorado Candor Act establishes a voluntary framework for health care providers and facilities to offer compassionate, honest, timely, and thorough responses to patients who experience an adverse health care incident. It is designed to benefit patients, their families, clinicians, and health care systems by formalizing a non-adversarial process where there can be open communication about what happened, why it happened, and what can be done to prevent this in the future. Under certain circumstances, the process may include an offer of compensation. The Act also allows for enhanced learning opportunities in health care as de-identified information about the adverse incident may be shared with a patient safety-centered nonprofit for use in patient safety research and education.
 
A brief overview of the Colorado Candor Act process is as follows:
  1. The process is initiated by the health care provider.
  2. The written notice must be sent to the patient within 180 days of the incident.
  3. The notice must include specific details about the patient's rights and the nature of the communications/discussions under the Colorado Candor Act.
  4. Under the Colorado Candor Act, health care providers and facilities may investigate and communicate about how the incident occurred and what steps are being taken to prevent a similar outcome in the future.
  5. As part of their assessment, health care providers and facilities can determine whether an offer of compensation is warranted.
  6. To facilitate open communication under the Colorado Candor Act, discussions and offers of compensation under the Act are privileged and confidential.
 
The Colorado Candor Act goes into effect as of July 1, 2019. Arapahoe-Douglas-Elbert Medical Society along with CMS will work closely with partners, such as COPIC, to provide additional information and resources about the Act and how to utilize it in the coming months.

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CMS 2019 Presidential Celebration & Gala
Saturday, September 14th, 2019
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Denver Museum of Nature & Science
 
Day / Evening - Family friendly event
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Join us in a celebration of the precious role of physicians, Sept. 14 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Registration opening soon for the 2019 Presidential Celebration and Gala
With all of the demands and stressors placed on physicians in practice today, it's easy to lose track of what calls most to medicine - the desire to help people live full and healthy lives. This gift comes from our hands, hearts and minds and creates a precious bond that extends through the physician to the patient and his or her family to the larger community. We are healers and leaders.
Framed by this unique role of physicians, the Colorado Medical society invites all members to celebrate the inauguration of incoming CMS President David S. Markenson, MD, MBA, on Saturday, Sept. 14. CMS will mark the occasion with an engaging day of programming at the highly celebrated Denver Museum of Nature & Science - a delight to people of all ages that ignites passion for understanding and protecting our natural world through fascinating exhibits and interactive displays - and culminating with a semi-formal Inaugural Gala that evening.
The museum will be open to CMS members and their guests during normal daytime operating hours, with special evening access to the Gems and Minerals exhibit during the Inaugural Gala. COPIC programming in the afternoon will be geared toward the latest knowledge needs for members in all stages of their careers, from medical students and early career physicians to late career physicians and emeritus members. The gala will feature dinner, music, dancing, recognition of CMS and component society leaders, and the swearing in of 2019-2020 CMS President Markenson.
A modest ticket fee will be charged. Supervised child care will be provided throughout the event through the CMS Children's Activity Center. Discounted hotel pricing will be available if needed. Registration will open soon.
Tentative schedule*
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.        Denver Museum of Nature &                                             Science open
9 a.m. - 11 p.m.      CMS Children's Activity Center open
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.      CMS Finance Committee meeting
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.        CMS Board of Directors meeting
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.        COPIC educational sessions
5 p.m.                     DMNS closes to the public
6 - 6:45 p.m.           Exhibitor reception
7 p.m. - 11 p.m.      Inaugural Gala
6 p.m. - 11 p.m.      DMNS Gems and Minerals Exhibit                                     open for CMS members and their                                       guests only
*subject to change
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Get Properly Reimbursed for Helping Patients with Advanced Care Planning
As part of a generous grant from the COPIC Foundation, CIVHC is working to help providers in Colorado get properly reimbursed for helping their patients with Advance Care Planning (ACP) through a training  webinar .   This webinar was developed by Pinnacle Health and is designed to teach providers to document and bill for ACP services .

The Advance Care Planning, Evaluation and Management webinar runs just under 20 minutes and is ideal for providers of all specialties as well as for medical billers, adminstrators, and practice managers.  
Using simple scenarios, it takes viewers through foundational aspects of ACP coding, including:
* The definition of ACP/
* what forms can be used for Advanced     Directives; 
*which health care professionals can bill for     ACP conversations and under what  circumstances;
*how to document patient encounters; and
which codes o use on reimbursement paperwork

The second half of the presentation explains the requirements for coding ACP evaluation and management patient encounters by time.  The rules governing reimbursement of these visits can be strict and specific components must be included in the documentation.  Definitions and coding information for Prolonged Services are also covered.
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AMA Provides
checklist for
Unwinding Employment Contracts
Physicians, including independent physicians and those in group practices, who are contemplating or undergoing an unwinding of an existing relationship (like an employment contract, professional services agreement, or a model integrating the physicians practice into another entity) with a Health Organization (such as a hospital, health system, or a large physician practice controlled by another party) should be cognizant of key issues when negotiating with the other party.

  Click here for the checklist which covers top issues to be considered.
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
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SAVE THE DATE!

2019 Presidential Celebration & Gala 

Saturday, Sept. 14th

Denver Museum Nature & Science
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SAVE THE DATE! 
Denver Medical Society
present

Aid in Dying Update
What have we learned over the past year?

Wednesday, Sept.25th

Evening meeting
Location and Times TBD


MEMBER BENEFIT :
Sign in to your Member Benefit today

"Know Your Legal Rights"
Physicians have rights under Colorado law when it comes to dealing with health insurance plans. Information on many of these laws is available to CMS members in the online database " Know Your Legal Rights." The Colorado statutes and regulations contained in this compendium apply to individuals whose coverage is through a fully insured health plan.

Did you know there is an easy way to determine whether or not the Colorado law applies for your patient's health insurance? C.R.S. 10-16-135 was enacted requiring standardization of health benefit plan ID cards. Part of that legislation requires that the designation "CO-DOI" must be placed on the card in a clear and conspicuous manner for any and all plans regulated in whole or in part by the Colorado Division of Insurance. (This is usually in the bottom left-hand corner of the ID card.)

This is just one example of what is available to ADEMS / CMS members in the  Know your Legal Rights database. Be sure to take advantage of this valuable member benefit.
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