February 17, 2026

NEED TO KNOW

Please Take Action: FY27 Budget Includes Cuts to Primary Care Payments & Workforce

This week, the House Health Care Committee is preparing their budget policy recommendations on the FY27 Governor’s Recommended Budget which includes proposed funding cuts to AHEC pipeline programming and loan repayment, along with proposed cuts to primary care payments from Medicaid tied to the ending of OneCare Vermont. 

Please email the House Health Care Committee and ask them to recommend restoring the funding for both the cuts to the primary care workforce pipeline and proposed cuts to primary care payments as well as these FY27 Budget Asks - Click here for more information:

• Restore $1.27 m GF for AHEC programming, loan repayment and MD placement;
• Restore $2.01 m GF for DVHA $4.75 pmpm alternative payment to primary care;
• Include $3.31m gross for inflationary adjustment to primary care fee schedule;
• Backfill $7.7 m gross gap for Population Health and CPR payments (Jan.-June '27)
• Remove sunset on the Medical Student Scholarship Program; 
• Fund DULCE program at $1 million GF.

Email addresses: ablack@leg.state.vt.us; fmcfaun@leg.state.vt.us; dberbeco@leg.state.vt.us; bcina@leg.state.vt.us; wcritchlow@leg.state.vt.us; ademar@leg.state.vt.us; lgoldman@leg.state.vt.us; lhoughton@leg.state.vt.us; Karen.Lueders@vtleg.gov; dpowers@leg.state.vt.us; valorie.taylor@vtleg.gov; tasha.kleppner@vtleg.gov; testimony@vtleg.gov

More Actions to Take this Week on Cannabis Bill, Immunization Bill and Scope Bills

This Wednesday, the Senate Economic Development Committee and the House Government Operations Committee will be taking up S.278, an omnibus cannabis bill looking to expand geographic density of retail shops, remove advertising restrictions, reduce excise taxes and provide more access to cannabis. At last week's hearing, the Chair of the Cannabis Control Board said that he believes that the best thing Vermont can do for public health is to remove the THC potency caps on cannabis concentrates. Do you have information on the actual impact of use of high potency concentrates and cannabis use disorder, accidental ingestion, and cannabis hyperemesis syndrome?  

Please reach out to the Committee regarding the public health impact of reducing regulation of cannabis sales on our communities: aclarkson@leg.state.vt.us; kramhinsdale@leg.state.vt.us; tchiitenden@leg.state.vt.us; rbrock@leg.state.vt.us; dweeks@leg.state.vt.us; cmead@leg.state.vt.us; mbirong@leg.state.vt.us; LHango@leg.state.vt.us; cevans@leg.state.vt.us; lboyden@leg.state.vt.us; vlcoffin@leg.state.vt.us; jhooper@leg.state.vt.us; rhooper@leg.state.vt.us; mmorgan@leg.state.vt.us; knugent@leg.state.vt.us; spinsonault@leg.state.vt.us; mstone@leg.state.vt.us

Please Ask Your Senator to Support the Immunization Bill
H.545, the bill regarding Vermont adopting its own immunization recommendations, will go to the Senate floor this Wednesday and Thursday after passing the Senate Health and Welfare Committee by a vote of 5-0. Please email your Senator to support this bill. Click here to find your Senator. 

Weigh in on Optometrists Performing Eye Surgery

Tomorrow, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee will be taking up S.64 for another hearing - they need to hear from you on the patient safety risks for Vermonters of expanding optometry scope of practice. Two weeks ago, they heard from physicians regarding concerns with authorizing optometrists to perform “minor” surgical procedures. Witnesses included Jessica McNally, MD, President of Vermont Ophthalmological Society; Matthew Greenberg, MD, Chair of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice; Jeff Young, MD, comprehensive ophthalmologist; and Divy Mehra, DO, an ophthalmology resident. For more information, see: https://safevisionvt.org/ 

Please continue to reach out to Senate Health & Welfare Committee members share information about why optometric scope expansion risks patient safety and does not address patient access to care. Email the committee at: vlyons@leg.state.vt.us; mgulick@leg.state.vt.us; acummings@leg.state.vt.us; John.Morley@vtleg.gov; john.benson@vtleg.gov; Calysta.Koppenhaver@vtleg.gov

VMS Financial Webinar - Approaching Retirement

Are you confident in your retirement plan? Concerned about market volatility? Do you have a strategy to protect your investments while maximizing returns? Join us for an exclusive retirement planning seminar for VMS members.  We will discuss key strategies to secure your financial future and enhance your investment growth in today’s unpredictable market.

1. 2/17/2026 at 7pm: Zoom Link
2. 2/18/2026 at 7 pm: Zoom Link

MISC.

Invitation: Larner College of Medicine Public Health Projects for Fall 2026

During the fall semester 2026, small groups of Larner College of Medicine students will tackle challenging public health issues that face our community by working on semester-long research projects in partnership with nonprofits. The deadline for applications is February 23, 2026.  Please see this letter with further information and instructions and the application form.  One important goal for these research projects is that the students have an opportunity to interact with the people they are serving. This gives the medical students very valuable insights that cannot be duplicated in the classroom.

Please feel free to share this invite with your networks and partners wh0eeo may be interested in participating. For questions, contact Dr. Jan Carney jan.carney@med.uvm.edu  at Larner College of Medicine.

GLP-1 Study Now Recruiting  - Provider Support Needed

GLP-1 receptor agonists have rapidly transformed the landscape of weight management and metabolic health, yet less is known about how these medications influence patient motivation, expectations, and engagement in long-term lifestyle change. Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms offering GLP-1 agonist medications continue to grow in popularity, allowing patients to bypass their primary care providers to access these drugs. Our study through the Larner College of Medicine at UVM seeks to better understand patient perspectives surrounding GLP-1 agonist therapy, including how enthusiasm for weight loss and lifestyle modification evolves over time. This study also aims to better understand how patients are accessing such therapies and whether they are discussing their use with their primary care providers. 

We invite providers to support this effort by sharing the survey with eligible patients (adults taking GLP-1 agonists for any reason) and displaying recruitment flyers in clinic spaces. Participation is brief, voluntary, and designed to minimize patient burden while contributing valuable insight into how GLP-1 agonist therapies are shaping patient experiences in real-world settings. Your help is essential to ensuring diverse patient representation and helping generate evidence that may guide future clinical conversations around this evolving topic.

For questions or comments, please reach out to elle.cunningham@med.uvm.edu. 

Clinician Recruitment: University of Vermont Perinatal Substance Use Care Research Study

Vermont clinicians are invited to participate in an IRB-approved research study to better understand current care practices, challenges, and workflows for perinatal patients with substance use disorder. Insights from participating providers will be analyzed alongside a de-identified chart review (2021-2023) to identify trends in MAT discontinuation and gaps in care. Providers involved in the care of perinatal patients with substance use disorder in the specialties of OBGYN, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Addiction Medicine, and Psychiatry are invited to participate.

Choose the option most convenient for you:

1. One-on-one interview (Zoom or Teams) (30 – 60 Minutes)
2. Virtual focus group (Zoom or Teams) (30-60 Minutes)
3. Anonymous REDCap Survey (no scheduling needed)

Use the link below to sign up:  https://calendly.com/bazinetphillipsj  If you would like more information before signing up or prefer to participate via an anonymous REDCap survey, please feel free to contact us by email at Jasmine.Bazinet-Phillips@med.uvm.edu or phone at (802)-847-7986.  See more information on the survey flyer and information sheet.

EVENTS

AlpTerra Wilderness Medicine Course

March 5–9, March 12–16, October 1–5, October 8–12, 2026

Franconia, New Hampshire

Join Alpterra for an immersive, hands-on wilderness medicine course designed to prepare you for real-life scenarios in the outdoors. Treat mock injuries, problem-solve in the elements, and walk away with practical skills that stick.

• Max 4:1 participant-to-instructor ratio for highly personalized, discussion-driven learning.
• Accredited for up to 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ — an excellent use of your CME allowance.
• Stay on-site in a luxury home-style setting. Enjoy locally sourced, family-style meals tailored to dietary needs.
• Add-on trips let you ski, climb, or explore the White Mountains with expert guides before or after your course.

Learn more about the agenda and registration here.

March 21st - Waltham, MA

The focus of the conference will be “Preparing Health Care Teams: Meeting the Present and Preparing for the Future,” and will feature Dr. Ashish Jha as the keynote speaker.

The MMS would like to invite members of VMS and your staff team to join us for a day of in-person learning and professional networking. The attached flyer includes some basic information about the program and a dedicated discount code (FHB26NE) your members may use to register at the MMS member rate.

For more information or to register for the conference, please visit: futurehealthbest.org

2026 Vascular and Cardiac Forum

April 7, 2026

DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington, VT

The Vascular and Cardiac Forum this year will provide primary care, internal medicine, urgent care, and physical therapy providers with education about a variety of vascular and cardiac conditions. The objectives are to improve accuracy and timeliness of the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions and efficiently use expert consultation in a value-based environment.

Please visit the conference website and registration link here.

AI in Medicine Conference

April 10, 2026

Delta Hotel by Marriott, South Burlington, VT

Join the University of Vermont for this inaugural conference exploring the applications of AI in medicine. This event is appropriate for physicians, physician assistants, nursing, advanced practitioners, researchers, and other interested professionals.

Please visit the conference website and registration link here.

For more information about offerings from UVM CMIE, visit here.

Vermont Medical Society

PO Box 153

Williamstown, VT 05679

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