February 3, 2026

NEED TO KNOW

Health Care Committees in Both House & Senate Tackle Multitude of Health Reform Bills

The sprint continues in both the House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Committees to take meaningful action on a myriad of bills that they hope will help meet Vermont's health care affordability crisis. In the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, Anne Morris, M.D., made an impact in her testimony on S.197, a bill to reform payments for primary care practices, telling members "this feels like a high stakes conversation, because I need to convince you that investing (really investing) in primary care is the right thing to do for our patients, the providers, and the healthcare system."  This Wednesday, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee will resume their work on S. 197, with Fay Homan, M.D., Chair of the Vermont Steering Committee for Comprehensive Primary Care, testifying, along with Toby Sadkin, M.D. President of the Primary Care Health Partners, and other primary care clinicians. In last week's VTDigger article the primary care bill was called "A top priority." If you would like to add your support for expanding access to primary care in Vermont please add your comments here. 

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee also took testimony on S.190, a bill outling the requirements for the Green Mountain Care Board to implement reference-based pricing, as well as regulate “outsourced” medical services and end provider bargaining groups.  VMS members Aida Avdic, MD, and Jay Mullen, MD, testified that S. 190 as drafted could unintentionally harm independent physician groups that enable Vermontʼs community hospitals to maintain high-quality, cost-effective services.   Senate Health and Welfare also took additional testimony regarding S.163, a bill seeking to allow APRNs to be the health care professional responsible for a hospital patient’s care. The VMS Board will discuss whether to take a position on this bill tomorrow night. The Committee will continue to advance these bills, along with H.545, the bill regarding Vermont adopting its own immunization recommendations that Vermont Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrandt testified on last Friday. The VMS will continue to advocate with the Health Department for this bill to pass the Legislature as quickly as possible. S.64, the optometry scope of practice bill, was also heard in Committee and will be taken up again this week. (Action Alert below)

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director of the Vermont Medical Society provided testimony in the House Health Care Committee last week on H.583, a bill that aims to limit the role of private equity in health care in Vermont and asked the Committee to consider alternate languagethat would narrow the impact on Vermont practice owners. Jessa also testified in opposition to the provisions in H.585, a bill supported by the Dept. of Financial Regulation, that seek to roll back primary care prior authorization exemptions. The House Health Care Committee will continue to take testimony on these bills this week and will hold a joint hearing with the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Hospital Transformation on Friday of this week. Also, this Friday the revised $195 million Rural Health Transformation Grant will be presented to the Legislature for their approval before being sent to the CMS. 

Optometry Surgery and Psychologist Prescribing Hearings This Week  – Please take Action

Ophthalmologists Respond to Bill  to Allow Optometrists to Perform Eye Surgery

S.64 is on the agenda in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee this week, when the Committee will hear from ophthalmologists regarding concerns with authorizing optometrists to perform “minor” surgical procedures, including:

• There is a meaningful difference between ophthalmologists’ and optometrists’ training - medical school and at least four years of training in surgery/advanced medicine vs. 4 years of optometry school with training in primary eye care, no required post grad education and no standardized surgical training
• Patient safety is at risk allowing optometrists to perform laser/scalpel surgery around/on/in the eye - there are no true “minor” surgical procedures
• This does not address patient access - skilled ophthalmologists across the state are currently available to take care of Vermonters’ eye surgical needs. In contrast, the wait list for routine eye exams with optometrists is already months’ long.

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

For more information, see: https://safevisionvt.org/ 

Psychologist Prescribing Hearings Continue

H. 237 would allow psychologists with additional training to prescribe medications.   Several psychiatrists with the Vermont Psychiatric Association will testify this Wednesday regarding the bill.   VMS and the Vermont Psychiatric Association also testified earlier this session with concerns that the bill will not meaningfully increase access to services and that there are more effective ways to increase access to evidence-based prescribing. 

In the current draft, the bill requires that a psychologist seeking prescribing authority:

• Complete a postdoctoral training program in psychopharmacology;

• Complete at least 18-months of clinical rotations in not less than 5 practice settings, to include psychiatry, geriatrics, family medicine/internal medicine, emergency medicine, and neurology, with details of acceptable practice settings to be specified in rulemaking by OPR;

• Have a collaborative practice agreement with an MD or DO who specializes in psychiatry;
• Not prescribe for patients under 18 years of age, over 80 years of age, or who are pregnant; and
• Be limited from prescribing specific drugs or for specific conditions, to be specified in rulemaking by OPR.

Please reach out to Senate Health and Welfare Committee members with comments: 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

Oppose Proposed State Cuts to Primary Care Loan Repayment, Physician Placement Programs

Governor Phil Scott and his agencies are now presenting their agency budgets to the legislature, and the proposed Vermont Department of Health budget includes significant cuts to key primary care workforce programs run by the UVM Area Health Education Centers (AHEC). The proposal includes:

Eliminating the state-based AHEC loan repayment program

• This eliminates all state funding ($667,111) for the program that provides loan repayment for primary care physicians (MD, DO, or NDs), APRNs, certified nurse midwifes, PAs, nurses and dentists employed by and delivering care in a primary care practice. Federal funding for FQHC sites would remain but no funding for non-FQHC sites. See a fact sheet on the program here.

Eliminating AHEC Network Funding

• The budget proposes to end funding for the AHEC Network, supporting infrastructure and early pipeline health careers programming across Vermont, including for grades 5-12 and undergraduate students in Vermont, helping them understand what it means to be a healthcare practitioner.

Eliminating physician placement services

• This cuts $50,000 provided for Physician Placement Services, supporting a staff member who tracks physician openings in Vermont in every specialty, and works with medical students, residents, and fellows to identify job opportunities, scholarships and educational loan repayment to match their individual priorities especially in Vermont’s rural communities.

Please contact the House Human Services Committee and House Appropriations Committees urging them that now is not the time to cut health care workforce development programs!

Email the committees here: twood@leg.state.vt.us; rgarofano@leg.state.vt.us; adonahue@leg.state.vt.us; dbishop@leg.state.vt.us; ecole@leg.state.vt.us; zeastes@leg.state.vt.us; emaguire@leg.state.vt.us; jmcgill@leg.state.vt.us; tnielsen@leg.state.vt.us; bsteady@leg.state.vt.us; dnoyes@leg.state.vt.us; lmorse@leg.state.vt.us; rscheu@leg.state.vt.us; mfeltus@leg.state.vt.us; tbluemle@leg.state.vt.us; edickinson@leg.state.vt.us; jkascenska@leg.state.vt.us; wlaroche@leg.state.vt.us; mmrowicki@leg.state.vt.us; mnigro@leg.state.vt.us; tsquirrell@leg.state.vt.us; tstevens@leg.state.vt.us; dyacovone@leg.state.vt.us

Medicare Telehealth Services Once Again on Hold

Caught up in Congress’ action on federal budget bills is an extension of Medicare telehealth coverage flexibilities, which were last extended by Congress until January 30, 2026.   The flexibilities at issue are described here, and include allowing telehealth services to be provided to a patient located at home and in “urban” locations.   As of publishing the Rounds, it appears that Congress may reach agreement on a budget package today and send it for signature, however the flexibilities still lapsed beginning January 31^st.  VMS will share more information in future issues, including what flexibilities are ultimately extended and retroactive coverage for services provided in the beginning of February. 

RHT Program Provider and Community Partner Listening Session

On Monday, February 2, the Agency of Human Services held a Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program Provider and Community Partner Listening Session. The slides can be found here.

While the total award approved for Vermont is $195,053,740 for the next year, AHS staff emphasized that the State is still negotiating final project budgets with CMS.  The next step is for the State to begin to release specific project RFPs beginning this month. 

Some important resources for staying informed about the RHT program:

• AHS RHT Program website: H.R.1/Rural Health Transformation Fund
• AHS RHT email: ahs.rht@vermont.gov
• Subscribe to the distribution list for updates: please click here

MISC.

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 including OBGYNs, family medicine practitioners, pediatricians, addiction medicine, and psychiatrists 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.

2026 AMPAC Candidate Workshop returns April 17-19 | Registration now open!

AMPAC is excited to announce that the 2026 AMPAC Candidate Workshop will be held in-person, April 17-19 at the AMA offices in Washington, DC – registration now OPEN!

Ever wonder how doctors get elected to Congress or your state legislature? Considering a run for office for yourself? The AMPAC Candidate Workshop will teach you how to run a winning political campaign, just like we have taught many of your AMA colleagues over the years. The Candidate Workshop is designed to help you make the leap from the exam room to the campaign trail and give you the skills and strategic approach you will need to make a run for public office.

At the Candidate Workshop, Republican and Democratic political veterans work together to give you expert advice about being a successful candidate and how to run a winning campaign. You will learn: the importance of a disciplined campaign plan and message; the secrets of effective fundraising; what kinds of advertising may be right for your campaign; how to work with the media; as well as how to build your campaign team and a successful grassroots organization. 

Registration for the 2026 AMPAC Candidate Workshop is now OPEN. Space is limited and the deadline for registering is March 20 - or sooner if maximum capacity is reached. For more information please contact: Politicaleducation@ama-assn.org

Act 68 Health Care Delivery Advisory Committee Holds Second Meeting

The State Health Care Delivery Advisory Committee, created by Act 68 of 2025, meet last week.  Find the minutes and presentation from the meeting posted on the Health Care Delivery Web Page: Health Care Delivery Advisory Committee Meetings | Health Care Reform.  Topic included an update on the Rural Health Transformation program, AHS’ work in progress to inventory health care transformation efforts underway across state departments, and an update on hospital transformation.    The group will next meet on April 14^th, 2026, at 3:00 PM.  VMS is represented on the Committee by Jessa Barnard, VMS Executive Director. 

EVENTS

New England History of Medicine Society - Jim Crow & the Asylum: Psychiatry and Civil Rights in the American South

Tuesday, Feb 10, 2026 at 7pm (eastern) via Zoom

There is a complicated history of racism and psychiatric healthcare in the Deep South states. Kylie M. Smith mixes exhaustive archival research, interviews, and policy analysis to offer a comprehensive look at how racism affected Black Southerners with mental illness during the Jim Crow era.

Kylie Smith is Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Healthcare History and Policy in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and Associate Faculty in the History Department, at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Her new book entitled “Jim Crow in the Asylum: Psychiatry and Civil Rights in the American South” has just been published.

Register here.

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

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

Vermont Medical Society

PO Box 153

Williamstown, VT 05679

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