Reforming how we pay for health care
The Shumlin Administration announced this week that they will hold a series of “listening sessions” on how the state should finance Green Mountain Care, Vermont’s soon-be-be reformed health care system. Since individuals, employers, and the state and federal government are already paying the $5 billion annual cost of Vermont’s health care system, this financing exercise is really about re-arranging how we pay for health care, not trying to find new money. So this should be easy, right?
In any case, these sessions provide a great opportunity early in the process for Vermonters to both learn about how we finance health care now and to bring their ideas about needed reforms.
The listening sessions will lead to a February 1 findings report to the Legislature—meeting a requirement of Act 48, Vermont’s Health Care Reform law passed last session. Here’s what the law says in Sec. 9 on pages 104-5:
(c) In developing the financing plan for Green Mountain Care, the secretary of administration or designee shall consult with interested stakeholders, including health care professionals, employers, and members of the public, to determine the potential impact of various financing sources on Vermont businesses and on the state’s economy and economic climate. No later than February 1, 2012, the secretary or designee shall report his or her findings on the impact on businesses and the economy and any related recommendations to the house committees on health care and on commerce and to the senate committees on health and welfare, on finance and on economic development, housing and general affairs.
(d) In addition to the consultation required by subsection (c) of this section, in developing the financing plan for Green Mountain Care, the secretary of administration or designee shall solicit input from interested stakeholders, including health care professionals, employers, and members of the public and shall provide opportunities for public engagement in the design of the financing plan.
There are three listening sessions scheduled:
November 29: Marlboro College Tech Center, 28 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
December 13: Rutland Free Library (Fox Room), 10 Court Street, Rutland, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
December 14: Large conference room at the Department of Vermont Health Access, 312 Hurricane Lane, Williston, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
An additional session in the Northeast Kingdom and possibly one in Montpelier will be scheduled for sometime in January. More information here.
