The 2015 CMS Annual Meeting will be held Sept. 18-20 at the Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge. Join CMS for networking, interactive programming on issues important to physicians and patients, and the convening of the House of Delegates.

Registration is now open: Go to www.cms.org/register. The deadline to register is Sept. 11.

Hotel reservations at the Beaver Run Resort under the CMS room block are guaranteed until Aug. 18, 2015. Reserve your room online here or call the hotel directly at 800-525-2253. (If calling, CMS's attendee code is 50H9WH.)

There are a few important dates to keep in mind:

• All resolutions must be submitted by Aug. 10. Download the resolution template here. They will be posted online for member review and comment after this date.
• CMS leaders will host a live webinar on Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. to discuss proposed changes to the CMS governance structure. More details to follow.
• The reference committee will hold two meetings in person or by phone to review resolutions on Aug. 20 and Sept. 14, both at 6 p.m. Each component society nominates a member to serve on the reference committee; contact your component executive if you are interested in serving on the reference committee or contact [email protected] at CMS. The reference committee report will be posted on the CMS website and will also be distributed to delegates upon arrival Friday evening or Saturday morning. 
• CMS will open the HOD on Saturday, Sept. 19.

See more information on the annual meeting page of CMS.org, www.cms.org/events/annual-meeting.

Also, CMS is calling for nominations for three AMA delegate seats and three AMA alternate delegate seats. The incumbent delegates and alternate delegates are running for re-election. All others interested in running for one of these positions should contact Dianna at [email protected].

The American Medical Association (AMA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (federal CMS) announced in early July that physicians will have more time to adjust to the ICD-10 diagnosis code set after the Oct. 1, 2015 implementation. For a one-year period starting Oct. 1, Medicare claims will not be denied solely on the specificity of the ICD-10 diagnosis codes provided, as long as the physician submitted an ICD-10 code from an appropriate family of codes.

The idea for a grace period originated in Colorado with senior delegate to the AMA Ray Painter, MD, who formulated the language and took it to the AMA two years ago. Although the resolution passed and has been AMA policy since that time, it did not receive much attention because of the AMA's hardline stance on achieving a delay of ICD-10 implementation, which they secured in 2014. Though the AMA is still firm on seeking a delay, this is not likely to happen again.

There is still time to get your practice ready for ICD-10. The federal CMS has an ICD-10 Quick Start Guide. Providers can also go to the agency's Road to 10 tool for small practices. Additional resources are available on the cms.gov/ICD10 website or Colorado's cms.org/icd-10.

Read more on CMS.org.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Retail Marijuana Education Program is pleased to share the following clinical guidance documents:

• Marijuana Pediatric Exposure Prevention Guidance for Health Care Providers
• Marijuana Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Clinical Guidance for Health Care Providers

These documents provide evidenced-based guidance for Colorado health care providers to talk with patients about marijuana. The guidance was developed using the information from the systematic literature review of the health effects of marijuana use, conducted by the Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee, and focus groups with clinicians and health care providers.

A digital copy of the clinical guidance documents and multiple other resources for health care providers can be accessed here, on the CDPHE website.

Pinnacol Assurance is hosting a complimentary medical conference on Sept. 24, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., at CU South Denver in Parker, Colo. This event is open to practitioners, practice managers and case managers. The Colorado Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Join Pinnacol for an exciting look at the new horizons in workers' compensation, including a panel discussion featuring representatives from Pinnacol Assurance, the Division of Workers' Compensation, the Colorado Medical Society and the Workers' Compensation Education Association.

Visit the event website to register and for more information. Registration is first come, first served. Please contact your provider relations specialist with any questions at (303) 361-4945.

The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, of which the Colorado Medical Society is an active participant and strong supporter, has revamped its website -- www.corxconsortium.org -- to add new resources.

• A new "Rx Data Dashboard," created by the Data and Research Work Group, provides data on mortality, emergency department visits, hospital discharges, treatment admissions, and nonmedical use of pharmaceutical opioids, heroin, and benzodiazepines in Colorado.
• A similar dashboard created by the Denver Epidemiology Working Group contains additional indicators as well as additional drugs of interest, but is limited to the Denver metro area.
• A set of tools for promoting Naloxone Access, including a link to the CDPHE "standing orders" page, and a link to a list of pharmacies that are currently dispensing naloxone under those standing orders.
• New Provider Education tools and links, created and vetted by the Provider Education Work Group, to help providers find and access continuing education programming to help them safely and effectively prescribe opioids, when indicated.

Gov. John Hickenlooper convened the consortium in 2013 to establish a coordinated, statewide response to prescription drug abuse and misuse. It links the many agencies, organizations, health professions, associations, task forces and programs that are addressing the prescription drug abuse problem.