More than 400 physicians from around the state attended the 143rd Annual Meeting in Vail in September, "Mardi Gras in the Mountains." The busy weekend featured fun and fellowship, interactive programming and education, and policy-making and elections.

Highlights:

• The CMS Board of Directors met Friday afternoon to hear presentations by the leaders of Colorado HealthOP and the health information exchanges, and discuss cost drivers in health care.
• The House of Delegates convened to deliberate on 19 resolutions and set policy on physician prescribing, prescription drug abuse, ICD-10, graduate medical education and more.
• The House of Delegates also elected new leaders and presented awards. They selected Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, MD, a Denver family physician, to be CMS president-elect, and they chose the three delegates and alternate delegates to the American Medical Association, among others. Gretchen Hammer, board chair of the state health insurance exchange, was awarded CMS' inaugural Breakthrough Award for her work to advance Connect for Health Colorado.
• Attendees participated in interactive sessions on prescription drug abuse, the liability climate and physician wellness.
• Attendees enjoyed various social events including a Mardi-Gras-themed Exhibitors reception with live music, giveaways and a photo booth; and the President's Gala, a masquerade ball with dinner, dancing, entertainment, and the installation of 2013-2014 CMS President John Bender, MD, FAAFP.

Click here to read the full report on CMS.org and watch for more extensive coverage in the November/December issue of Colorado Medicine.

As part of the Jurisdiction H transition, Novitas Solutions was required to obtain a new (05/10 version) CMS-588 Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) authorization agreement from providers who were receiving their Medicare payments electronically from each of the outgoing contractors, or in this case, TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, LLC.

A letter requesting submission of a new agreement was sent to all affected providers/suppliers in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas on July 27, 2012. Agreements were to be completed and submitted within 30 days of the date of that letter to ensure continuation of electronic payments post-cutover. As you know, this workload fully transitioned to Novitas on Nov. 19, 2012. To date, there have been no interruptions or delays in payment for providers who have not responded to the July 27, 2012 letter and subsequent follow-up attempts. Although Novitas has worked to obtain all requested agreements, there are still a significant number outstanding.

In accordance with guidance provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the following final actions will occur:

• Payment suspensions were initiated Sept. 13, 2013 to all non-responsive providers who have not submitted claims to Novitas since the cutover. If an agreement is not received within 90 days of the payment suspension, deactivation of Medicare billing privileges will follow.
• Final notification letters were mailed Sept. 18, 2013 to all non-responsive providers who have submitted claims to Novitas since the cutover. If an agreement is not received within 10 days of the date of that letter, payments will be suspended. If an agreement is not received within 90 days of the payment suspension, deactivation of Medicare billing privileges will follow.

If you submitted an agreement and did not receive a confirmation letter indicating your EFT was received and processed, or you have not yet submitted your agreement, Novitas urges you to do so immediately. In the event you need a blank copy of the agreement, you may download one at: www.cms.hhs.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/Downloads/CMS588.pdf.

Please write "JH Transition" at the top of the Agreement for easier identification and mail to the following address: Novitas Solutions, Inc., Provider Enrollment Services, JH Transition, PO Box 3095, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-1813, Attention: Shelley Kuhn.

Yesterday, Sept. 24, 2013, Colorado took another step toward reducing the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by launching the new Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention.

This group, coordinated through the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, provides a cooperative, interagency/interuniversity framework to enable professional organizations and state agencies to work together to implement a one-year strategic plan that focuses on six facets of the issue - the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), treatment, prescriber and provider education, safe disposal, public awareness, and data/analysis.

Click here to read the rest of this news article on CMS.org.

CORHIO, the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization, is offering a one-day seminar on Meaningful Use on Friday, Sept. 27, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Physicians are encouraged to register to attend the Meaningful Use Boot Camp to learn how the electronic health record incentive program from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has changed how physicians use EHRs and how the program will continue to shape future practice as it evolves.

The boot camp will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Tech Center in Denver. Attendees will learn how to get the most out of their EHRs in Stage 1 and Stage 2 of Meaningful Use and how to attest for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, plus they'll explore current HIT initiatives in Colorado, the health information exchange, cyber liability and key requirements from the HIPAA Final Rule.

Click here for more information and to register.