👋 NEXT WEEK: Meet the Candidates! VMS is hosting regional receptions for local and statewide candidates in Burlington and Brattleboro next week! These events are an informal opportunity to speak with candidates about issues on your mind.
Join us Wednesday, Sept 9 at Hotel Vermont or Thursday, Sept 10 at the Brattleboro Country Club. Both events are from 6 - 7:30 p.m. and will include plenty of appetizers and a cash bar. RSVP here and see the entire schedule.
🧑⚕️Vermont’s Healthcare Workforce Strategic Plan: The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) received an update last week from the Agency of Human Services (AHS) on Vermont’s Healthcare Workforce Strategic Plan, which is written by AHS but must be approved by the GMCB. At a July meeting, GMCB members reviewed a draft of the Strategic Plan and asked that the plan be revised to:
- Include a specific primary care provider recruitment and retention strategy following consultation with the Primary Care Steering Committee
- Identify the entities responsible for carrying out each strategy outlined in the plan and those accountable for successful implementation
AHS will submit a revised version of the plan in September and GMCB members continued to ask for as much specificity as possible, stating that while planning is important, workforce issues are pressing and require action.
💲Delays in Implementing Reference Based Pricing: The Board also received an update from staff last week on the move to regulate hospital costs using a reference-based pricing methodology, which pegs commercial reimbursement at a percent of Medicare. While legislation called on the GMCB to implement reference-based pricing by hospital fiscal year 2027, staff explained that it took several months to secure a contractor to assist with developing the methodology. Further rulemaking will be necessary and is expected to take several more months. Board staff explained that important questions remain, including what benchmarks should be used, what services should be included, and how reference-based pricing interacts with the hospital budget process.
✍️ VMS to CMS: A 50% Medicare Pay Cut Would Put Practices at Risk: The American Medical Association, VMS, and dozens of state and national medical societies submitted a letter last week urging CMS to reject a proposal that would cut Medicare payment by 50% when a physician provides a separately identifiable office or outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visit on the same day as most procedures are performed. The letter argues that CMS has not provided sufficient evidence to justify the cut and warns of severe consequences for independent practices. Read the full letter here.
🚬 E-Referrals for 802Quits: Vermont’s tobacco quit line, 802Quits, helps nearly 3,000 adults quit or reduce their tobacco use every year. To make referrals easier, UVM Health Network added a new e-referral button in Epic this year. With the new e-referral system in place, there's been a substantial increase in quit line referrals from clinics that are part of the UVM Health medical system. If you are interested in learning more about 802 Quits and e-referrals, contact Ramona Israel with the Vermont Department of Health.
♀️ Women’s Health Campaign: The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) is launching a campaign aimed at helping Vermonters better understand state and federal laws requiring Vermont-regulated health insurance plans to cover many reproductive health services at low or no cost, including:
- A 12-month supply of prescription birth control and other contraceptive care
- Cancer screenings and other preventive services
- Menopause and perimenopause care
- Abortion services, including medication abortion
- Telehealth services
Patients can learn more information at the DFR landing page, and the agency has created posters, postcards, and other materials available here, if you’re interested in sharing with patients.
