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NEED TO KNOW
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Governor Signs H.545 into Law!
VMS thanks the Vermont Legislature and Governor Scott as well as the Vermont Department of Health for advancing H.545, an act relating to issuing immunization recommendations.
This bill went into law immediately and will authorize the Commissioner of Health to issue Vermont-specific immunization recommendations, rather than specifying ACIP in State law. It allows the State to purchase vaccines from vendors other than the CDC and requires insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the Commissioner. It expands membership of the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council and charges the group with providing advice to the Commissioner on vaccination recommendations. The bill also provides a level of legal immunity to health care professionals who prescribe, dispense,, or administer an immunization in accordance with the recommendations. By enacting this legislation, Vermont:
- Provides clarity and consistency for Vermont health care professionals and patients regarding vaccines;
- Protects health care professionals providing vaccines in good faith;
- Preserves universal, no-cost access to recommended immunizations; and
- Supports stable vaccine supply
When signing H.545, Governor Scott issued the following statement:
“We’ve seen the value in using science and data when making decisions about the health of Vermonters. H.545 establishes a process that allows us to continue this practice, by enabling the Vermont Department of Health to make vaccine and immunization recommendations based on available science and data. Getting vaccinated is the best way for us to protect ourselves and others, and this bill helps make sure vaccines remain accessible and affordable in Vermont.” |
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Senate Begins Their Work on FY27 Budget and Primary Care Spotlight in House Health Care this Week
The Senate Appropriations Committee has begun their work on H.951, the FY27 Budget bill,which passed out of the House last week. The funding package that passed includes a partial restoration of cuts to AHEC programming of $551,000 for primary care loan repayment and $50,000 for physician placement services. The VMS is beginning to educate both the Senate Appropriations and the Senate Health and Welfare Committees on the potential impacts of the Governor's Recommended FY27 Budget cuts to primary care payment and workforce funding. VMS will advocate for full restoration of $1.2 million for AHEC programming and loan repayment and for the restoration of $2.01 million in Medicaid alternative payments to primary care.
At the same time that Vermont's primary care funding is at risk, S.197, the primary care payment reform bill, passed the Senate last week and is up for discussion in the House Health Care Committee this week. Jessa Barnard is scheduled to testify along with the Blueprint for Health. Last week, they took testimony on the Maple Mountain rural residency programand on the dissolution of the OneCare Vermont ACO.
This week, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted out H.84, the bill to allow the recording of telehealth appointments with patient consent, and it heads back to the House for final approval.
The Senate also passed S.64, the optometry scope of practice bill, S.278, the cannabis retail expansion bill and S.198, the tobacco retail licensing bill. These bills will now advance to the House Government Operations Committee. |
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VMS is Hiring!
A unique opportunity to join a mission-driven, advocacy-oriented Vermont nonprofit! Consider joining our team working to make Vermont a better place to provide and receive health care. VMS is hiring a full-time Communications, Policy & Program Associate.
Read the full description and learn about applying here. |
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Vermont Board of Medical Practice IT System Has Changed – Licensees Must Log In to Claim Your License
The Vermont Board of Medical Practice’s IT system, eLicense, has been upgraded to VtBMPOnline. At this time, all Board of Medical Practice licensees must log in to the new system to register your account and "claim" your license. Claiming your license is necessary to link it with your online account and ensure your ability to update your contact information and renew your license with the Board of Medical Practice. See the instructions from the Board here. For further assistance, contact the Board at 802-657-4220. The new system is intended to be more user friendly and make it easier to apply for a license. In the future, the Board will be adding a CE module that will offer licensees the convenience of an app to save information and documentation about CME activities. |
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Announcing the CMS Northeast Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization for Vermont
IPRO has been awarded a contract from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve as the Quality Innovation Network–Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the Northeast Region (Region 1). This is in addition to IPRO’s previously awarded contract in the Mid-Atlantic (Region 2).
CMS Northeast Region 1 includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IPRO is joined by two other established Medicare QIOs: Healthcentric Advisors and Qlarant to advance this work.
IPRO is excited to resume its support and collaboration with providers and partners across the region.
Through this initiative, IPRO’s quality improvement advisors, many of whom you may already know, will provide no-cost support to nursing homes, hospitals, and outpatient clinical practices, including technical assistance, data insights, and tailored education on CMS priority areas, including:
- Disease prevention and chronic condition management
- Behavioral health
- Care coordination and reducing avoidable hospital utilization
- Reducing all-cause harm
- Strengthening quality infrastructure
- Optimizing healthcare technology
Learn more here. |
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Registration Open for Remaining 2026 Legislative Breakfasts
Meet your lawmakers and advocate for health care policies over coffee and a light breakfast at our 2026 Legislative Breakfasts! These breakfasts, which will all be held in the cafeteria from 8-9am at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier, are an informal opportunity to educate lawmakers on ways to improve Vermont's practice environment.
The Vermont Medical Society (VMS) will be trading off hosting the remaining breakfasts with the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter.
Registration is now available! Register here.
Vermont Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter
Vermont Medical Society - All MD, DO, PA and Medical Students Encouraged to Join
Learn more and RSVP for any of the dates here. Please reach out to Jill Sudhoff-Guerin at jsudhoffguerin@vtmd.org if you have any questions. |
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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:
- One-on-one interview (Zoom or Teams) (30 – 60 Minutes)
- Virtual focus group (Zoom or Teams) (30-60 Minutes)
- 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. |
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EVENTS
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Center on Rural Addiction: Development of a Toolkit for Implementing Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment Practices for Co-Occurring PTSD and OUD in Rural Healthcare Settings
April 1st from 12pm to 1pm EST, Virtual
Please join UVM CORA for their Community Rounds Workshop Series panel session, “Development of a Toolkit for Implementing Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment Practices for Co-Occurring PTSD and OUD in Rural Healthcare Settings.” The speakers are Kelly Peck, PhD, Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychological Science at UVM and the Director of Clinical Operations for the UVM Center on Rural Addiction and Mary Lindsey Smith, PhD, MSW, Director of Substance Use Research & Evaluation at the University of Southern Maine’s Catherine Cutler Institute. This presentation will discuss evidence-based guidelines for the assessment of treatment of PTSD in individuals with co-occurring SUDs as well as barriers and facilitators to implementation in rural MOUD treatment settings. It will also introduce the newly developed UVM CORA Co-occurring PTSD and OUD Toolkit. Register here.
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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. |
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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. |
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AI and Violence: Exploring the Legal, Clinical, and Ethical Frontiers
April 10, 2026 10am to 4:30pm
Zoom
Join the Yale School of Medicine for this inaugural conference exploring the following topics: -
The Dangerous Intersection of Al, Mental Illness, and Violence
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"There are No Limits!": Al Undressing Apps and the Normalization of Nonconsensual Intimate Deepfakes -
Generative AI-Chatbots, Legal Accountability, and Violence -
Artificial Empathy: Navigating the Moral Hazards of Al Mental Health Care
View the full conference agenda here and register here. |
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The Greatest Contribution: A History of the National Library of Medicine with Stephen Greenberg
April 21, 2026 at 7pm
Zoom
Starting as a single shelf of books in the Army Surgeon-General’s small office, the National Library of Medicine has grown to be the world’s largest medical library. This presentation will examine the history of the NLM, and considers what its future might hold in the rapidly changing world of information technology.
Dr. Greenberg holds degrees both in history and library science and spent 29 years working at the National Library of Medicine where he served as Section Head for Rare Books and Early Manuscripts in NLM’s History of Medicine Division. Register here. |
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Medication for Opioid Use Disorder ECHO April 30 - September 17th, 12pm to 1pm
Zoom
Join subject matter experts from around the region during biweekly virtual sessions on Zoom from Thursdays, 12-1 PM. Open to all health professionals who are looking to gain knowledge and confidence in the foundational skills related to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Priority is given to Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. No cost to join. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged to apply.
Learn more here. |
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AlpTerra Wilderness Medicine Course
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. |
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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. |
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For more information about offerings from UVM
CMIE, visit here. |
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Vermont Medical Society PO Box 153 Williamstown, VT 05679 -- Unsubscribe -- |
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