Dear Colleague:
Today the Colorado Medical Society Board of Directors met to advance priorities of our members and the patients we serve. Top lines: we heard a presentation from the AMA, reviewed our 2024 initiatives, discussed pressing issues and looked ahead to challenges we will face in 2025.
Todd Askew, American Medical Association Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Executive and Board Offices, shared an update and forecast on federal advocacy priorities impacting health care under the incoming Administration and Congress. The AMA continues to press hard to reverse Medicare physician rate cuts and are watching carefully for anticipated cuts to various health care programs including Medicaid, National Institutes of Health and premium tax credits through the Affordable Care Act.
CMS Immediate Past President Omar Mubarak, MD, MBA, reviewed 2024 initiatives. “Quite simply we have just completed one of the most consequential and successful years on record advocating for Colorado physicians that took an extraordinary collaborative effort by this board and your CMS staff to achieve.”
COMPAC Chair Sean Pauzauskie, MD, and Council on Legislation Chair Darlene Tad-y, MD, MBA, outlined election outcomes and a state legislative preview. CMS-member physicians had the opportunity to interview and qualify their candidates in the 2024 General Election and 98% of those endorsed candidates won, clearly demonstrating that CMS has relevance in races in Colorado that will carry through the 2025 legislative session.
The CMS Board of Directors approved a recommendation by the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs for new policy on gender-affirming care that emphasizes the importance of individualized care, continuing education and research, and strong opposition toward any third-party interference into the practice of medicine.
2024 was a blockbuster year not only for critical advocacy priorities like preventing a massive medical malpractice insurance premium rate hike, protecting peer review and passing a sweeping prior authorization set of reforms – it also featured a 32% increase in educational programs that physicians need and engaging audiences in compelling new communications platforms. All of this work amounts to a vibrant medical society that listens to and thoughtfully engages with membership.
CMS can’t do this work without your support; send us your thoughts on how CMS works for you. If you are unsure if you or your group has renewed your CMS membership for 2025, please reach out.
We hope you have a warm and happy holiday season and we look forward to serving you in another great year.
Sincerely,
Kim Warner, MD
