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NEED TO KNOW
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Senate Appropriations Passes FY27 Budget But the End of Legislative Session Remains in Question
With very little funding to appropriate and extremely difficult decisions to make, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved their final adjustments to the Senate version of the FY27 Budget this week. Thanks to your outreach, the Senate version of the bill added funding to support primary care, including:
- $667,000 - AHEC Primary Care Education Loan Repayment
- $50,000 - AHEC MD Placement
- $3,708, 562 - Primary Care Case Management Global PMPM Payment (this replaces the DVHA Alternative Payment PMPM)
Please reach out to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and Senate Appropriations Committees to thank them for their support of primary care! You can find their email addresses here (3rd list).
The full Senate will vote on the final FY27 Budget at the end of this week and the following week it is expected to go to a conference committee with the House to negotiate for a final version. These actions are in line for the Legislature to meet the projected mid-May adjournment date, yet both Senate and House leadership are predicting that because of differences in the education bill the legislature will not be finished with their work until the end of May.
This week the House General Committee continues work on S.230,a bill that now includes a provision that prohibits non-compete clauses for health care providers. If passed, this would become effective July 1, 2026. Four House Committees, including Judiciary, Health Care, Human Services and Corrections, are all debating S.193, a bill that would create a forensic facility in order to provide competency restoration services for people found incompetent to stand trial and who have been charged with an offense punishable by a life sentence or those if released would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person. The House Health Care Committee will take up S.197, the primary care bill at the end of the week. House Human Services will begin their work on S.198, the tobacco retail licensing bill.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee will begin their work on the AI in health care bills, H.814 and H.816. The Governor signed H.84 into law April 20th, the bill to allow recording of telehealth visits, and it became effective immediately.
H. 237, the bill that would authorize prescribing by doctoral level psychologists, has been delivered to the Governor for his review. If you have concerns about this legislation, you can reach out to the Governor via the contact form, here. |
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One Remaining 2026 VMS Legislative Breakfast – April 29th
It’s
not too late to join for the Vermont Medical Society’s one remaining breakfast
for the 2026 legislative session! All
VMS members and medical students are encouraged to join us for the last
opportunity of this legislative session to meet your lawmakers and
advocate for health care policies over coffee and a light breakfast. The
breakfast is being held on Wednesday, April 29th from 8-9 am at the Vermont
Statehouse in Montpelier. This is an informal opportunity to educate lawmakers
on ways to improve Vermont's practice environment and no prior legislative
experience is needed.
Please
register here.
Reach out to Jill Sudhoff-Guerin at jsudhoffguerin@vtmd.org if you
have any questions |
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Vermont AG and Coalition Win Lawsuit Protecting Gender-Affirming Care
Attorney General Charity Clark and a coalition of 22 states secured a federal court order blocking an attempt by the Trump Administration to threaten healthcare providers that provide care for youth with gender dysphoria. A federal district court issued a written opinion and judgment, granting the plaintiff states’ summary judgment motion.
On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration asserting that certain forms of gender-affirming care are “unsafe and ineffective.” In the declaration, Secretary Kennedy attempted to give HHS the power to exclude healthcare providers from Medicare and Medicaid programs simply for providing care for transgender adolescents.
Attorney General Clark and the coalition immediately sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, arguing that Secretary Kennedy lacked the legal authority to issue the declaration; that HHS’s actions were arbitrary and capricious; and that the agency failed to adhere to the necessary procedural requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking.
At the end of a summary judgment hearing last month, a federal judge agreed with the states and issued an oral ruling blocking the federal government’s threats. The written opinion and judgment, issued Saturday, April 18, effectuate that prior ruling, and protect healthcare providers and hospitals from the potentially destabilizing effects of HHS’s unlawful actions. |
MISC.
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Local Show Highlights Lisa Rosenbaum, MD
CCTV Host of Meet the Author, Louis Meyers, MD, met with cardiologist and author Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum to discuss her publications relating to primary care, public health and healthcare. Dr. Rosenbaum was a keynote speaker at the VMS Collaborative Meeting in November and is frequent author and podcaster on health care topics. View the interview here. |
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Kick Off Meetings: Blueprint for Health Modernization Proposal
The Blueprint for Health staff are excited to invite Vermont primary care practices, clinicians and other interested parties to a kickoff meeting to introduce a modernized program proposal for an Advanced Primary Care Program in Vermont under the Blueprint for Health. This initiative builds on Vermont’s strong foundation of patient-centered care and aims to enhance access, care coordination, quality outcomes, and health equity across our communities while strengthening and leveraging investment in primary care to ensure practices have the resources and support needed to deliver high-value care. Please feel free to forward this invitation to your colleagues and leadership. The same content will be offered at each of the three meetings - 4/27 at 4 pm, 4/29 at noon, and 5/1 at 8 am. Questions asked by attendees will be documented and answered by the Blueprint team then posted in the 1-2 weeks following for everyone’s review. The meetings will not be recorded, AI transcription will not be allowed, and slides presented will be posted on the Blueprint website no later than close of business on 5/1.
April 27th, 4-5pm
Join Microsoft Teams Meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/210502118643517?p=G8F6A8c6ZVKCp7w0te
Meeting ID: 210 502 118 643 517
Passcode: CY2kf9vc
Dial in by phone: +1 802-828-7667,,92047878#
April 29th, 12-1pm
Join Microsoft Teams meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21961545455906?p=EZ1vcx29awPe2PuPXQ
Meeting ID: 219 615 454 559 06
Passcode: Aj7vn6VA
Dial in by phone: +1 802-828-7667,,538318711#
May 1, 8-9am
Join Microsoft Teams meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21234171022160?p=84lzR6QuqmEQGPRFqD
Meeting ID: 212 341 710 221 60
Passcode: KY649Gk2
Dial in by phone: +1 802-828-7667,,787759904# |
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EVENTS
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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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UVM Project ECHO: Updates in Diabetes Management
April 29, 2026 at 12pm
Zoom over iECHO Platform
This 5-session spring series will discuss evidence-based best practices in the care of patients with Diabetes Mellitus. The focus will be on areas of recent practice change, including optimal use of continuous glucose monitors and practical treatment updates. There will be specific attention to improving our understanding of newer medications, including new options for insulin, SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 and GIP agonists.
The series begins on April 29, 2026 and meets every other Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 on zoom. Please see the attached flyer for session dates and details.
Enrollment is limited. Registration will close on Wednesday April 22, 2026, and the series cohort will be finalized at that time. Registration Link: iECHOregistrationDiabetes |
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UVM Project ECHO: Medication for Opioid Use Disorder 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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Expanding Addiction Treatment Systems
June 2, 2026
In-Person - Killington, VT
The annual Blueprint for Heath & Vermont Department of Health in person conference for Substance Use Disorder care teams will be at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel on June 2nd this year.
This conference is freely available to people working in Vermont on care related to mental health and substance use disorders.
At the conclusion of the set of conference learning sessions, participants will be able to:
- outline one integrated Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) care model that identifies community needs, improves treatment engagement and retention, and includes co-treatment strategies for commonly co-occurring conditions such as Alcohol Use Disorder, HIV, and/or HCV.
- appraise the status of the Vermont Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment system regarding trends in population outcomes and availability of levels of care.
- identify two principles of provider self-care regarding mitigation of moral injury and leveraging of team-based care systems.
Learn more about the event here and register 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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