It's Tuesday, September 29.

State Leaders Take Broad View of Obstetrical Services 

Map from the Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont

The number of births in Vermont has remained relatively stable over the past five years, at just under 5,000 per year, with more than 70% of pregnant people delivering at the local hospital in their health service area.

To preserve this level of access, the Vermont Department of Health and Agency of Human Services launched a statewide taskforce dedicated to the future of rural obstetrical care in Vermont. The goal of the group is to shape solutions and build strategies to ensure stability, expand patient options, and secure long-term sustainability of obstetric services. The group will:

  • Review and analyze data related to OB care in Vermont
  • Identify what’s working well, and pinpoint current and potential gaps in care
  • Explore the financial stress on OB units, better understand billing optimization for inpatient birth units, and explore alternative financing strategies and staffing models in use by other states
  • Examine how hospital OB closures impact community-based services, and build stronger, more cohesive linkages between them.

Participants of an initial meeting last week included Commissioner of Health Rick Hildebrant, MD, VMS staff, Blueprint for Health staff, clinicians, quality improvement, hospital and payer representatives. AHS plans to meet monthly and to stand-up workgroups on workforce, operational models and funding.  For more information contact jbarnard@vtmd.org. 

    IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

    🩺 Reminder: Public Health Call Thursday: Hear the latest public health updates and ask questions on the monthly public health call, Thursday, Oct. 1 at 12:30 – 1 p.m. Meredith Plumpton, RN, will provide an immunization update. Join the Teams meeting.

    🎉 Legislative Receptions: Thank you to everyone who attended a candidate reception this month. We have two more events over the next few weeks and would love to see you there. Sign up to attend:

    • Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Thyme in White River Junction
    • Thursday, Oct. 15 at Barr Hill in Montpelier

    🏆 Leadership Award Winners Announced: VMS has recognized five individuals and one organization who have made outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of Vermonters and the nation over the past year: Tracy Tyson, MD, Timothy Higgins, MD, Kenyon (KC) Bolton, MD, Katrina Ducis, MD, Kristen DeStigter, MD, and Cochran’s Ski Area. They have work to combat medical misinformation, provide world-class guidance to colleagues and trainees, and improve access to life-saving medical care and technology. Please join us at the 2026 Collaborative Meeting and Awards Banquet, Friday, Nov. 13 to honor your colleagues. 

    🪥 DVHA Ends Medicaid Dental Incentive Payment Program: After state budget cuts, Vermont Medicaid will no longer offer the dental incentive payment program. In the past, eligible providers received incentive payments bi-annually each year. Providers said these payments helped to offset structural underpayment for practices that serve a substantial number of Medicaid patients and allowed them to see more adult patients with Medicaid coverage. When asked, DVHA leaders did not have more information about how the cuts would impact patient access.

    🏳️‍⚧️ State Funding for Gender-Affirming Care in Vermont: Vermont will continue to provide coverage for gender-affirming care for Medicaid members, including those under 18, stepping in with state funds where federal funding ends. This comes after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule that prohibits federal Medicaid funding for certain gender-affirming hormone treatments and surgical procedures for minors, taking effect October 13, 2026. In Vermont, access to gender affirming care is protected by state law, including for transgender youth when it is clinically appropriate and recommended by a qualified provider.

    💰 M3 Larner Students: Earn a $10,000 Scholarship! The Mildred Reardon, MD Scholarship is open to any third-year Larner student who wants to practice in Vermont after training. It provides $10,000, paid directly toward tuition at the College of Medicine. The application deadline is approaching! Learn more and apply by Friday, Oct. 2. 

    🧑‍⚖️ New Hampshire Medical Society Sues Trump Administration Over Medical Frailty Rules: The New Hampshire Medical Society joined with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians and others to challenge the Medicaid work requirements. The lawsuit, Taylor et al. v. Kennedy, Jr. et al., was filed in Maryland District Court alleging that the rules in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act unlawfully narrow who is excluded from work requirements because they are “medically frail or otherwise have special medical needs.” The state tried to implement work requirements in 2019, and New Hampshire physicians have unique perspective into this failed attempt.

    EVENTS

    VMS Candidate Receptions

    Oct. 7 & Oct. 15, 6 - 7:30 pm 


    Join us for an evening of informal discussion with candidates and colleagues. Physicians, PAs, and trainees who live or work in the area are welcome to attend. RSVP here.

    • Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Thyme in White River Junction
    • Thursday, Oct. 15 at Barr Hill in Montpelier

    Neurobiology of Trauma and SUD

    Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 12 - 2 p.m. | Virtual

    This session uses findings from addiction and trauma research to highlight how substance use disorders and exposure to traumatic stressors can produce neurobiological changes that influence behavior and contribute to overlapping clinical needs in recovery. Learn more and register.

    ACP Vermont Chapter Annual Scientific Meeting

    Friday, Oct. 9 | Stowe, VT

    The Vermont ACP Chapter's Annual Scientific Meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2026. We will again host a poster competition for resident and student members. Please visit the Meeting Hub for registration and agenda. 

    Champ's Sono Camp: Multidisciplinary POCUS Conference

    Saturday, Oct. 17 – Sunday, Oct. 18 | Burlington, VT


    Hosted by the UVM Departments of Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine, this course teaches Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), one of the biggest recent advances in clinical medicine, shown to improve diagnostic accuracy, patient throughput, procedural safety, and patient satisfaction. While most medical schools and residency programs have adopted POCUS into their curricula, this course is an opportunity for practicing clinicians to improve their skills. Register here.

    Bite Me!  Dracula and 19th Century Medicine

    Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. via Zoom

    Dracula may be literature’s most famous blood sucker, but his creator, Bram Stoker, came from a medical family, and knowledge of the medical practices of the time infuse Stoker’s novel. This talk by human remains conservator Cat Irving will explore the diseases that have fed into vampire mythology and the medical history that Stoker was drawing on for his creation. Click her for the link.

    2026 Collaborative Meeting

    Nov. 13 - 14 | Stowe, VT


    The 2026 Collaborative Meeting is taking place at Topnotch Resort in Stowe. Meet your colleagues and hear timely updates from health care leaders. See the full agenda and register here.

    2026 Obesity Medicine & Weight Management Conference

    Tuesday, Nov. 17 | South Burlington

    This conference is designed to improve the skills of the primary care healthcare team as they navigate new treatments in obesity medicine and weight management. Sessions will provide practical and updated strategies for assessment and treatment. A wide spectrum of diagnostic, management, and treatment options will be presented. More details and registration here.

    For more information about offerings from UVM Continuing Medical and Interprofessional Education, visit this link.

    VTMD.ORG

    Vermont Medical Society

    PO Box 153

    Williamstown, VT 05679

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