Tuesday, June 16, 2026

NEED TO KNOW

Jessica McNally, MD, president of the Vermont Ophthalmological Society and VMS member, testifying in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee in February. 

🚨 TIME SENSITIVE: Ask the Governor To Veto S.64

Governor Phil Scott has a Thursday deadline to sign a bill that puts patients' safety at risk by allowing optometrists to perform laser and scalpel eye surgery without adequate training or supervision. There is NO EVIDENCE this bill would increase access for patients — allowing optometrists to perform surgery decreases access to primary eye care.

Ophthalmologists in Kentucky and Oklahoma have reported numerous surgical complications after similar bills passed in their states, including permanent harm to the optic nerve and blindness. They've also reported misdiagnoses, inappropriate therapy and overlooked problems, such as missed corneal infections, inappropriately treated corneal ulcers, and missed glaucoma. 

Please call the governor's office at 802-828-3333 or leave a comment online by Wednesday, 6/17 (tomorrow).

📜 2026 Legislative Recap

It was one of the most difficult legislative sessions in recent memory. Lawmakers were working with a tight budget, multiple bills were introduced to expand the scope of practice in other professions, and the session played out against the national backdrop of declining health care coverage, looming cuts to Medicaid, and major upheaval from public health officials in the highest federal offices. Still, there are plenty of health policy wins to celebrate: 

  • 💰 The budget for the next fiscal year restores funding for a primary care loan repayment program, adds a one-time boost of $3.7 million to primary care rates, and provides nearly $1 million to Vermont’s free and referral clinics. 
  • 💉 The state can issue its own immunization recommendations, independent of federal guidelines, and can purchase vaccines from sources outside the CDC. 
  • 🏥 Patients are protected from civil arrests when visiting hospitals or other health care offices. 
  • ⏺️ Clinicians can record telehealth visits with their patients’ consent. 
  • 🚬 Other legislation adds safeguards to the sale of certain tobacco products, bans the use of non-compete clauses in health care contracts, and increases payments to  Blueprint primary care practices and sets the stage for future payment reform. 

Look out later this week for a full write up of every bill VMS tracked, testified on, and helped shape this year – more than 30 pieces of legislation.

🤝 Free support from Northeast Quality Innovation Network

Healthcentric Advisors is our region's contractor for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization. They're inviting any Vermont clinician who works with Medicare patients to join the next program cycle. They provide:

  • Support for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Quality Reporting, to optimize your performance, in partnership with Blueprint for Health
  • Billing and EHR optimization, and workflow efficiency
  • Peer learning opportunities, including connections with other adult primary care and specialty practices across the region
  • Support to enhance care coordination, behavioral health integration, and chronic disease prevention and management

Sign up by June 30 and reach out to Laura Vanderhill at lvanderhill@healthcentricadvisors.org with any questions.

MISC.

💸 VT Medicaid Releases Updated Fee Schedules

DVHA (Vermont Medicaid) has released the following final fee schedules, effective retroactively:

 💻 Responsible AI in Vermont Healthcare

Last week, Attorney John Wallace spoke about AI governance, consent and HIPAA-related issues. He emphasized that AI tools have a lot of promise to reduce administrative burden and improve patient care but must be reviewed and implemented carefully. 

  • While consent is not currently required by Vermont law for AI scribe technology (except for social workers and psychologists), it is best practice and likely to be considered by lawmakers in future sessions

EVENTS

Perinatal OCD Training

Wednesday, July 1, 12 - 4 p.m. | Remote

Perinatal mental health clinicians often face complex decisions when OCD symptoms overlap with other perinatal conditions. This training will exploring screening and treatment considerations specific to working with perinatal OCD and demonstrate how to apply Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) within a holistic, trauma-informed framework.

Learn more and register here.

Vermont Extreme Weather People's Hearing

Wednesday, July 8, 6 - 8 p.m. | Barre, VT

The Climate Action Campaign is organizing an event for Vermonters to share their experiences with extreme weather from flooding to heat, wildfire smoke, tick-borne illness and more. If you're interested in speaking, you can fill out this form or contact Aaron Petykowski.

Maternal Health Innovation Summit

Aug. 10 | Montpelier, VT

This year’s MHI Summit will be held on August 10th, 2026, at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Montpelier from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

More details to come.

AMA Independent Practice Accelerator Workshop  

Sep. 11–12 | Chicago, IL 

Thinking about starting or growing an independent practice? Get the essential knowledge, practical skills and confidence you need to launch a new practice or strengthen the one you already have! The AMA Independent Practice Accelerator Workshop is a two-day, in-person event designed exclusively for physicians. Register today.

AMPAC Campaign School 

Sep. 11–13 | Washington, DC

If you're interested in becoming more involved in politics – whether you're attracted to grassroots efforts or considering becoming a candidate for public office – you can join this training on how to run an effective campaign. Participants will be broken into campaign staff teams to run a simulated congressional campaign.   

The deadline to register is Aug. 10.

Save the Date: Vermont ACP Annual Scientific Meeting

October 9th at Trapp Family Lodge | Stowe, VT

The Vermont ACP Chapter's Annual Scientific Meeting will occur on Friday, October 9, 2026. This will be an in-person meeting with no virtual option. We will host a poster competition for resident and student members.

Register for the meeting here.

2026 Collaborative Meeting

November 13 - 14, 2026 | Stowe, VT


The 2026 Collaborative Meeting is taking place November 13th and 14th at Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont. Please save the date and join us this fall!

Stay up to date on additional details by visiting here. 

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

VTMD.ORG

Vermont Medical Society

PO Box 153

Williamstown, VT 05679

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