Action: Please Urge Lawmakers to Fund Health Care Stabilization
Relief Package
This
week, the House and Senate Health Care Committees are weighing whether to
support a proposed $375 million package the Scott Administration is developing
to stabilize Vermont’s health care system. VMS, along with the broader Vermont
Health Care Coalition, has prepared a joint letter to submit as testimony tomorrow, urging the
Committees to approve the $375 million in stabilization funding, not only
to offset the staggering financial losses health care providers have
experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but to ensure the continued viability
of the diverse components of the State’s health care system. This funding
would be allocated based on an application system and would be funded using
federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF). Please email these lawmakers to let
them know why this funding is of critical importance to maintaining your
practice and stabilizing Vermont's health care system. CRF funds must be spent by
December 30, 2020, can only be used on necessary COVID-related expenses and
losses, and cannot be used to backfill state revenue. Committee members across
the legislature are being tasked with providing recommendations by June 10th on how CRF funds would best be spent and there are
numerous competing priorities.
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Vermont Medical Society Releases Statement Condemning Police Brutality
On June 2, 2020, the Vermont Medical Society, along with the Vermont Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, released a joint statement denouncing the recent brutal and senseless acts of violence towards Black people by law enforcement officers and acknowledging the impact systemic racism has in driving adverse health outcomes in our State and across the nation. VMS President Catherine Schneider, M.D. and President-Elect Simha Ravven, M.D. spearheaded the action, and said, “The VMS stands with the Vermont State Police, the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics in Vermont (AAPVT) in denouncing not only police brutality against Black people, but in recognizing that racism and violence against people of color is unacceptable, unwarranted and a detriment to our country. The continued discrimination against people of color has deep lasting health impacts, as well as divisive social impacts. We cannot have a healthy nation if we continue to marginalize and harm any sector of our population.” Please click here for the full statement .
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