The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Division of Insurance (DOI) released their final version of the public option plan on Friday, Nov. 15, and submitted it to the legislature. The plan hues closely to the original draft plan, once again specifically omitting mandatory participation for physicians and physician rate setting.  View the final plan here. The legislature will consider this proposal during the 2020 session that begins in January and some experts speculate the need for at least two bills to bring the plan into reality.

CMS President David Markenson, MD, MBA, provided the following statement on the report: "Colorado Medical Society applauds the efforts undertaken for the public option report that is making its way to the 2020 state legislature for further debate and stakeholder input. We support the concepts of increasing competition in health insurance markets and reducing premiums for our patients while assuring access to care, value, and a physician’s ability to provide the quality care their patients need. These are difficult, complex issues and we are committed to remain fully engaged in the process as the proposal makes its way through the legislature." Stay tuned as the process unfolds.

The Center for Health and Environmental Data (CHED) division at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) asks for your feedback on a statewide advance directive registry. A bill passed by the 2019 Colorado General Assembly (SB 19-073) requires CDPHE to contract with one or more Colorado health information organizations for the creation, administration and maintenance of a statewide advance directive registry that allows qualified individuals to upload and access advance medical directives. The bill was strongly supported by the Colorado Medical Society.

The purpose of the survey is to gain insight into existing electronic processes for uploading, storing, sharing, and accessing Advance Care Planning documents. Access the survey here. It will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Your feedback is greatly appreciated; it will drive functionality for the project so the agency can avoid duplicating processes. The survey deadline is Dec. 10. Thanks for participating!

Your elected delegation to the American Medical Association attended the 2019 AMA Interim Meeting in San Diego Nov. 15-19, presenting and participating in educational sessions; hearing speeches from AMA leaders like President Patrice Harris, MD, MA; testifying on resolutions to the AMA; and voting on new AMA policies. Of note, Colorado's Lynn Parry, MD, presented "There is no medicine in medical marijuana" to the Organization of State Medical Association Presidents (OSMAP), and both resolutions brought by Colorado passed as policy. And of the policies passed by AMA delegates were measures to ban conversion therapy; protect residents and fellows displaced by unexpected teaching hospital closures; urgently advocate for regulatory, legislative or legal action at the federal or state levels to ban the sale and distribution of all e-cigarette and vaping products; and oppose collecting DNA of refugees. Read more here.

As part of the American Medical Association’s national Target: BP™ initiative with the American Heart Association (AHA), the AMA recently launched a blood pressure (BP) measurement e-Learning module called "Achieving Accuracy: BP Measurement." The new module is the first step in the organizations’ joint efforts to ensure every health care professional is re-trained to accurately and consistently measure BP based on guideline-recommended standards. As physicians are aware, hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. And physicians know that inaccurate BP readings can lead to diagnostic errors, which means getting an accurate reading is vital to treating the condition. This new module is available on the AHA’s e-Learning platform and TargetBP.org, and will be available on the AMA’s Ed Hub platform starting in December.

The CU Anschutz Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Health & Wellness Program, supported by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, present "The Clinical Edge: Vaping, Juul, and Cessation, What Providers & Patients Need to Know." This webinar will be held Tuesday, Dec. 17, 12-1 p.m. MST, to educate providers and patients on vaping products, what is known regarding health concerns related to vaping, whether vaping products are effective in helping people quit smoking, and on strategies for talking with people who vape. Register here.

The nomination period for the 2020 Colorado Medical Society all-member election is open through Jan. 31, 2020. The Colorado Medical Society encourages all members to consider nominating a colleague or self-nominating for one of the open leadership positions: president-elect (one position open) or AMA delegation (two positions open). The election manuale, which contains all of the information a potential candidate needs about the duties, eligibility, requirements and election process, is available on the CMS website, as is the current list of declared candidates. Read more here.

The 2020 Medical Student Component (MSC) Day at the Capitol will be held Jan. 21, 2020, at the state Capitol in Denver. Last year’s event was highly praised by students, physicians and legislators. Mark your calendars to join us for this fun event where you gain firsthand knowledge from experts and elected officials on how to positively influence health care public policy. We’ll send more information as the date approaches.

As we approach the upcoming legislative session, we need to hear from you concerning issues impacting your practice. In partnership with the Colorado Medical Group Management Association, the Colorado Medical Society seeks intelligence from practices on the "front lines." Please contact us at [email protected] with your payer issues.

And remember to use the members-only Know Your Legal Rights online catalog of provider protection statutes that you can use in disputes with health plans. It contains decades of public policy victories that may assist you in your dealings with payers. Make sure all of the physicians in your practice are members of the Colorado Medical Society so you have access to this great resource today!

*Accessing Know Your Legal Rights requires a CMS member login. Member physicians’ staff can obtain their own login by contacting Tim Yanetta at [email protected] . 

Patients today are taking control of their health care choices more than ever before, demanding greater convenience and easy access to information. Three in four people have gone online to find out about a doctor or dentist, and more than 57 percent do so regularly. Attracting and retaining patients in this environment requires improving each digital touchpoint for patients, both before and after their visit. Join PatientPop to learn how technology can create a better experience across the patient journey, and how every practice can benefit along the way. 

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Register today: https://info.patientpop.com/webinar-cms-consumerization/