Sept. 25, 2025

The 2025 Colorado Medical Society Annual Meeting brought physicians together for CME, connection and fun. Attendees participated in inspiring sessions with AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, and a decorated faculty of speakers, gained insights on timely clinical and policy topics, and recharged during a group hike in the mountains.

The highlight came at the Annual Gala, when outgoing CMS President Kim Warner, MD, officially passed the gavel to incoming President Brigitta Robinson, MD. Dr. Warner shared: "The society has been a community where magic is magnified, where collaboration, mentorship, and shared purpose makes us stronger."

With education, networking and celebration, the weekend captured the best of our CMS community. Visit the CMS Annual Meeting page for information on claiming CME credit and to complete our post-event survey. You can also respond to this email to share your thoughts, whether or not you attended, to help make our 2026 meeting the best yet!

Following high praise for his session at the CMS Annual Meeting, Matthew Wynia, MD, MPH, will give an encore virtual presentation of "Physicians' Ethical Obligations for Public Advocacy," jointly hosted by the Colorado Medical Society and Center for Bioethics and Humanities. Physicians can earn up to 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Full accreditation information on the event webpage. 

During this special edition Ethics Grand Rounds webinar, Dr. Wynia will take on an increasingly unavoidable question: given rising mistrust, political divisions, cynicism toward medical research and evidence, and open attacks on the concept of professional expertise, on core professional values like empathy, compassion and altruism, and on public health, health equity, and human rights today, when are physicians not merely ethically encouraged to engage in public advocacy, but ethically obligated to do so?

This thought-provoking session, based upon a recent piece he co-authored in The Lancet, will challenge attendees to consider the role of public advocacy in protecting their patients and their profession.

Picture this: A near-miss occurs in your hospital. Your team gathers for review, knowing you can speak freely and honestly without legal fear. Someone shares a crucial insight. A system flaw gets fixed. Future patients are safer because of that protected conversation.

This is professional review working as intended—but these vital protections need your voice to survive ongoing threats from trial lawyers who want to pierce the confidentiality of this crucial process.

The Colorado Medical Society needs your story about how professional review has enhanced patient care, improved systems, or fostered innovation.

Quick story format:

Share your story with us! Fill out a quick form. If you are short on time or need help drafting, we're here to help! Give us a call at 720-859-1001. Help us demonstrate why protecting these crucial conversations matters for every Colorado patient.

During Women in Medicine Month, we are proud to celebrate physician leaders who guide the Colorado Medical Society forward. Pictured from our Board of Directors, left to right: Darlene Tad-y, MD, MBA; Kim Warner, MD; Brigitta Robinson, MD; Rachelle Klammer, MD; Leto Quarles, MD; Lynn Parry, MD; and Renee Dreher.

Effective Oct. 1, 2025, Cigna will implement a new Evaluation and Management (E/M) Coding and Accuracy policy (R49), which may automatically reduce certain high-level E/M CPT® codes by one level if claim data does not support the reported code. The American Medical Association (AMA) has voiced strong opposition, citing misalignment with CPT guidelines and a lack of transparency in the policy’s execution.

AMA warns that Cigna’s approach—using diagnosis codes or claim data as proxies for medical decision-making—risks unfair payment reductions and places undue administrative burden on physicians. Reconsideration requests will be limited to fax submissions, further complicating appeals. AMA and other state medical societies including the Colorado Medical Society urge Cigna to rescind the policy and instead collaborate on targeted education and data-driven outreach to promote accurate coding practices.

If you are concerned about this policy, please reach out to [email protected] to share your thoughts.

Colorado recently signed onto the Colorado Chooses Vaccines coalition, a broad alliance of Colorado health care providers, community leaders, medical experts and advocates working together to expand vaccine access and ensure every Coloradan can make informed choices about their health. The coalition brings diverse voices to the table with the shared goal of protecting communities through reliable information and equitable access. Read coverage of the new coalition from the Colorado Sun and Colorado Public Radio. 

Do you have a story to share with Coloradans on vaccines? Reach out to [email protected]. 

The Colorado Medical Society joined nine state-level organizations representing patients, physicians and hospitals in a letter in support of the proposed emergency regulation ensuring COVID-19 vaccines are covered as a preventive service. “Clear guidance, dependable coverage, and equitable access to immunizations are critical,” the organizations wrote in the letter, sent Sept. 10, 2025, to Colorado’s Division of Insurance.

“Access to vaccines is a nonpartisan and longstanding public health priority. It is foundational to keeping children, families, and communities healthy and resilient. Yet, recent federal actions have created unnecessary confusion and restricted access, without scientific justification for such changes. These actions threaten to leave too many Coloradans unprotected, including young children and pregnant people. This is especially troubling as these populations remain at increased risk for serious illness from COVID-19. Therefore, it is imperative that the state take action.”

Sept. 17 was Physician Suicide Awareness Day, which serves as a solemn reminder and powerful call to action to make time to talk, to listen, and act — so that mental health emergencies and harm can potentially be prevented.

CMS stands with physicians and provides services and support to help you. 

Physician Suicide Awareness day is an important reminder to check in with oneself, colleagues, and friends. It is also a time to remember those who we have lost who dedicated their lives to caring for others. 

Dues invoices for Colorado Medical Society members for individual physicians and practices who have opted into group billing have been sent. All invoices are due Dec. 31, 2025 for the membership period ending Dec. 31, 2026. Pay early to ensure you have no disruption in benefits through the end of 2025 – especially if you are Copic insured and benefit from the significant discount in medical liability insurance! If you have updates to your contact information or billing contact, please contact our membership department at 720-859-1001 or [email protected].

It is strict CMS policy that your personal information is never sold or shared.

Register for the live meeting to be held at 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Denver Cherry Creek. There is also an enduring material course available. Access registration links through the buttons below.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Colorado Medical Society and SC Liver Research Consortium. 

The Colorado Medical Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Do you have a position open at your practice? Space to sub-let? Selling your practice? Place a CMS Community Marketplace ad! CMS members receive the first month free. Contact [email protected] for more information!

Live webinar: Chart less, live more: Reclaim your time with AI
Thursday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. MT

Spending nights catching up on notes? You're not alone. Tebra’s 2025 Survey uncovered that 62% of independent providers spend more than a quarter of their day on documentation. And 48% say they finish notes after hours. That’s time lost with family, patients, and yourself.

In this live webinar, Tebra will break down the survey findings — and show how Tebra reduces charting time, reclaims evenings, and eases burnout without disrupting your workflow.

Register here!

Mary Jo Heins is a former medical practice manager. As an independent Medicare insurance agent, she now helps people with all facets of Medicare – objectively and fee free.

720-484-6946

www.medicareinsurancehelp.com

Medicare Insurance Help – Be Medicare CONFIDENT