February 2017 | www.ademedsociety.org
Quarterly Practice Management Breakfast Series:
Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP)
Sign up today!
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) ended the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, which threatened clinicians over the last decade with uncertainty over painful Medicare cuts. 
We now begin a major overhaul of the way physicians receive value-based reimbursement as we take the first steps along the journey toward payment reform.  If you participate in Medicare Part B you need to know this!

The Quality Payment Program (QPP)
and Your Next Steps
Presenters: 
Courtnay Ryan, Quality Improvement Facilitator, Telligen
Andrew Bienstock, Transformation Services, CORHIO


Wednesday, March 8, 2017
7:00AM - Registration / Breakfast Buffet
7:30-9:00AM - Program 
The Curtis Ballroom, 5345 Landmark Place, 
Greenwood Village, CO 80111 
( Located upstairs from Comedy Works South)  
 
During this presentation, we will:
  • describe the Quality Payment Program, including the Merit-based Incentive Payment System  (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) tracks.  
  • discuss the basic components of each track, share tools and resources for clinical quality reporting and  identify next steps for this transition year based on practice size, specialty, location or patient population.   
Medical Society members REGISTER HERE
 
Programs 2-4 of this breakfast series are scheduled for June 7, September 6 and November 29th at the same location and time.  More details to follow.  
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Physicians,  RSVP  to our next networking event

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Healthplan Mergers Blocked

Fed Judge Blocks Anthem-Cigna Merger

Feb 9 AMA - The  Washington Post  (2/8, Johnson) reports that yesterday, "a federal judge blocked the $54 billion merger between health insurance giants Anthem and Cigna, saying the deal would increase pri8ces and reduce competition."

The  AP (2/8, Cooper) reports, "The American Medical Association cheered the ruling, saying the merger would have created a health care behemoth too big to regulate and with too much control over consumers' lives." In a statement, AMA president Andrew W. Gurman, MD, said, "In a David vs. Goliath battle between consumers and mega insurers, a federal judge today ruled that  Anthem's proposed acquisition of  Cigna poses a clear and present threat to the quality, accessibility and affordability of health care in the United States."

The  New York Times   (2/8, De La Merced, Picker, Subscription Publication) reports that this "ruling, by Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, came two weeks after another federal judge blocked a proposed $37 billion merger between Aetna and Humana on antitrust grounds."

Judge blocks Aetna-Humana Merger


Jan 23 AMA- In a landmark win for organized medicine and the nation's patients, federal judge John D. Bates blocked the proposed Aetna-Humana merger. The judge found that the merger would have substantially lessened competition in Medicare Advantage and commercial health insurance markets. This is an extraordinarily well documented, comprehensive, fact-based ruling by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, which acknowledges that meaningful action was needed to preserve competition and protect high-quality medical care from unprecedented market power that Aetna would acquire from the merger deal. The decision is a historic, stunning affirmation of the position urged by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the 17-state medical association antitrust coalition members, which includes the Colorado Medical Society. The court's ruling sets a notable legal precedent by recognizing Medicare Advantage as a separate and distinct market that does not compete with traditional Medicare. This was a view advocated by the AMA, as well as leading economists.

The AMA and its coalition partners worked tirelessly to oppose this merger: sending comprehensive, evidence-based advocacy letters to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and state regulators after the merger was announced in July 2015; engaging like-minded stakeholders like the American Hospital Association and various patient coalitions, as well as the National Association of Attorneys General; conducting extensive physician surveys to gauge physician concern about the merger and presenting the DOJ and state regulators with compelling survey results; testifying in or submitting memoranda in various state insurance department hearings and/or attorney general investigations, and making that, and other evidence and testimony, available to the DOJ and state regulators; securing outside experts to support arguments and strip down those of the insurers -- all demonstrating how the merger would harm patients and physicians.
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Participate in the one or all of the Physician Leadership Skill Programs
Registration is now open for the CMS Physician Leadership Skills Series
Follow through on the commitment to yourself and your profession
As changes in Colorado health care accelerate, it is more important than ever to have well-trained and active physician leaders guiding the way. Thanks to a generous grant from the Physicians Foundation, the Colorado Medical Society is proud to present the  Physician Leadership Skills Series (PLSS) to help enhance physician leadership capacity in Colorado and provide current and emerging physician leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to serve their patients, their practice, their profession and their community.

Registration for the first of eight innovative programs is now available, and dates have been set through April. These programs, held Saturday mornings in person around the state or weeknights via video conference, are aimed at deepening your awareness, developing crucial skills and equipping you with the tools and experience you need to lead tomorrow's health care in Colorado. This series is free for CMS members; non-members are ineligible.

The first program,  Giving and receiving feedback / Building social capital, will be held FEBRUARY 11 .  
Find more information and links to register for all programs HERE
SPONSORS:
Get covered with COPIC
COPIC Insurance Company is Colorado's leading medical liability insurance provider. Three out of four physicians choose COPIC for this critically important coverage. ADEMS and CMS members receive a 10 percent premium discount from COPIC.
For more information, call  (720) 858-6000 or visit  www.callcopic.com
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UPCOMING EVENTS:

Practice Management Breakfast Series:
The Quality Payment Program and Your Next Steps
Wed., March 8th 
7am - 9am
Curtis Ballroom @ The Landmark
Register today

Physicians' Mix @ Six
Happy Hour Social
March 9th
6:00-7:30 PM @ Bar Louie DTC
RSVP today

Medical Spanish Class
Friday, April 21 -
Monday, April 24th 
8AM-5PM
4 day class offers CME
Classes held at DMS
RSVP required
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CMS Physician Leadership Skills Series 

The series will feature eight innovative programs over the year aimed at deepening your awareness, developing crucial skills and equipping you with the tools and experience you need to lead tomorrow's health care in Colorado.

February 11, 2017 - 8:00am-12:00pm
Giving and receiving feedback -Building social capital

March 6, 2017, 6:00-7:30 pm - (interactive online event) 
Goal setting

April 22, 2017 - 8:00 am-12:00 pm
Multi-generational workplace

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