The Colorado Medical Society is changing - putting in place important changes that place members first by keeping you more engaged, informed and empowered than ever before.

1. You will have an unprecedented voice in CMS.
2. You will have the power to choose your representation.
3. You will have a direct connection to a more empowered board.
4. You will be represented by a diverse, informed and responsive board.
5. A system of checks and balances will ensure your needs are met.
6. CMS will recruit and train the CMS and component leaders of the future.
7. You will have access to a highly relevant Annual Meeting attractive to all CMS members.

Learn more about each of these changes here and stay tuned as The New CMS continues to evolve. We'll publish regular updates and progress reports and provide you with many opportunities to participate. CMS encourages all members to share thoughts and feedback throughout the change process; we want to hear from you and are available to answer your questions. Contact CMS President Michael Volz, MD, directly at [email protected] and he'll reply personally.

Calling all CMS members: Join the Colorado Medical Society for a very important all-member webinar on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. The one-hour interactive webinar will showcase how the Colorado Medical Society is: (1) Changing to open engagement to all members in a way that is meaningful for you and fits your schedule; and (2) Advocating for members on payer issues. CMS pollster Benjamin Kupersmit will present the results of our recent all-member managed care survey that reveals practice pain points and a clear call to action.

• WHAT: Colorado Medical Society all-member webinar
• TITLE: It begins with you: Going back to our roots to improve Colorado health care
• WHEN: Dec. 16, 2015, 6-7 p.m.
• REGISTER HERE to receive log-on/call-in instructions

If you have questions about the program or issues registering, please contact Dianna Mellott-Yost at [email protected] or (720) 858-6321.

The Colorado Medical Society joined the American Medical Association and 109 state and national medical specialty organizations in sending a letter to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that expresses physicians' collective frustration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (federal CMS) choice to move ahead with Stage 3 of the Meaningful Use Program despite the widespread failure of Stage 2.

"While the overall goal established by Congress in the HITECH Act, namely to promote widespread adoption of electronic health records by physicians and hospitals, has largely been achieved, the Stage 3 requirements are inconsistent with the goal of promoting better coordinated and high-quality patient care," the organizations wrote in the letter. "Congressional action to refocus this program is urgently needed before physicians, frustrated by the near impossibility of compliance with meaningless and ill-informed bureaucratic requirements, abandon the program completely."

The organizations encourage Congress to refocus the Meaningful Use program to achieve a truly interoperable system of electronic health records that will support the delivery of high-quality care.

Read the full letter here.

The Colorado Division of Insurance has approved more than 1,000 health insurance plans from 20 carriers to offer health coverage to consumers and small businesses for 2016. Three carriers from the current year will not be offering plans in 2016, and three new carriers have entered the market for 2016.

Across the state, premiums will increase over 2015 premiums on average 7 percent, with individual policies rising an average of 10 percent, and 3 percent for small group plans (plans that are purchased by small employers, with 2-99 employees). Premiums vary by carrier, age, geographic area and the tier of plan. Premiums also reflect the cost of health care in Colorado and in each of the state's nine geographic rating areas.

"Rates reflect the cost of health care, and the DOI has verified that information," said Commissioner of Insurance Marguerite Salazar in a press release. "This is only the third open enrollment under the ACA, and these rates represent the first time carriers had a full year of data to inform their rates. They are still trying to figure out what consumers want in terms of plans, deductible levels and services, at a price that attracts enrollment but allows the carrier to keep the lights on and pay their bills."

Read the full story on CMS.org.

Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) staff is going on the road to spread the word about SIM. Join them in Colorado Springs (11/9), Pueblo (11/9), Lamar (11/10), Alamosa (11/10), Montrose (11/12), Grand Junction (11/12), or Steamboat Springs/Hayden (11/13) to find out how SIM is working with stakeholders to promote integration of behavioral and physical health care.

Staff hopes the transformation will accelerate the state's progress toward the Triple Aim of lower costs, better care and improved population health, and help Colorado become the healthiest state in the nation. The state was been awarded a $65 million grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to transform practices, test new models for payment and care delivery, and integrate primary care and behavioral health care. SIM welcomes input and questions on this collaborative journey.

Go to www.colorado.gov/healthinnovation to learn more or click here to RSVP to attend a presentation.