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A triumphant win for patients and physicians, the Colorado Medical Society celebrates the passage of HB24-1149 Prior Authorization Requirements Alternatives, which today passed out of the Senate on third reading and will now head to the governor for signature. HB24-1149 puts health care decisions in the hands of doctors and patients -- not insurance companies or their algorithms -- and will reform and streamline prior authorization, protect patients, and save precious time and resources in our health care system. 

This bill would not have passed without the passion and dedication of the prime sponsors, Rep. Shannon Bird (D), Rep. Lisa Frizell (R), Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R) and Sen. Dylan Roberts (D), and the more than 50 co-sponsors. CMS is also grateful for the physicians and patients who shared their stories through CMS's campaign site, Health Can't Wait Colorado, which brought the statistics to life. We are hopeful this new law will make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and in physician practices by adding transparency, fairness and oversight to prior authorization.

From left to right, Rep. Lisa Frizell (R) and Rep. Shannon Bird (D) advocate for HB24-1149's passage on the House floor.

Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R) outlines the necessity of the bill on the Senate floor.

Time is running out; contact the Governor and your legislators to urge passage of SB130

There are just 13 days left in the legislative session and we need to urge legislators to pass SB24-130, which is the fair, reasonable and balanced solution to a caps increase. Let's turn up the volume as a community of physicians and be heard! As soon as possible:

1. Contact your legislators to urge passage of SB24-130.
2. If you have already contacted your legislators, please take one more minute to send a message to Governor Polis, asking for his help to secure a legislative solution to the threat of destabilizing ballot initiatives this November.
3. Contribute online to the campaign opposing the trial lawyers' proposed ballot initiatives that threaten to make health care more expensive, harder to find and less safe. We must demonstrate that we are serious about protecting peer review and maintaining caps.

Coming up next week!

Join us Thursday, May 2 for a free networking and wellness event in Denver, especially physicians able to mentor Colorado medical students

NEW DATE: CME webinar on physicians and grief to be held May 14, 6-7 p.m.

Everyone will suffer loss in life. During this CME webinar, physicians teach physicians how to identify and articulate the seven phases of grief, analyze the various ways grief may affect physicians – both mentally and physically, and identify resources and coping mechanisms to process grief. Join us on the new live date, May 14, 6-7 p.m. via Zoom.

The event will be recorded.

DEA National Prescription Take Back Day is this Saturday, April 27

Colorado is fortunate to have permanent dropbox locations for safe disposal of prescription medications. But National Prescription Drug Takeback, coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, can serve as a great reminder to patients to dispose of medications before they are misused, abused or diverted. Share DEATakeBack.com with patients to help them find collection sites, view resources and find information on treatment for substance use disorders.

Empowering Colorado: Medication disposal for safer communities

Medication safety is a shared responsibility. Guide your patients in the proper disposal of unused medications to reduce the risk of misuse and accidents. Find your nearest drop box at TakeMedsSeriously.org/safe-disposal. More information here.

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An easier way to protect your pets starts in your medicine cabinet.

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