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NEED TO KNOW
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On Borrowed Time, Legislature Continues to Horse Trade Over Bill Differences
As the Legislature enters their 20th week, questions of adjournment are front of mind, as the Legislature remains far from agreement on several policy priorities including the education reform, consumer data privacy and the state budget.
Please Take Action and Urge Budget Conferees to Support the Senate Passed Investment in Primary Care
The Budget Conference Committee plans to meet several times this week to hammer out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the FY27 Budget. Primary care remains a sticking point because the Governor's recommended FY27 Budget cut $19.07 million from primary care payments and workforce programming, but lawmakers are unsure how they can backfill investment in primary care payments.
Thankfully, the Budget Conference has approved a partial restoration of the cut to the Areas of Health Education Centers (AHEC) by allocating $667,000 for the AHEC Loan Repayment program and $50,000 for the AHEC PhysicianPlacement program. Please tell the conferees to support the $3.7 million the Senate appropriated for primary care payments as this funding is critical for access to low-cost, high-quality care. Email these lawmakers: elle.oille-stanforth@leg.state.vt.us; aperchlik@leg.state.vt.us; rawestman@gmail.com; vlyons@leg.state.vt.us; tbluemle@leg.state.vt.us; rscheu@leg.state.vt.us; mfeltus@leg.state.vt.us
House Commerce has a new version of a comprehensive consumer data privacy bill that threatens the exemption for HIPPA-covered entities, but it is unclear at this point what version of the bill, if any, passes this year. S.197, the primary care payment reform bill is up on the House floor and then it goes back to the Senate for final approval. The House Health Care Committee approved the bill last week with minor modifications from the version that passed the Senate. It maintains important measures that will require all payers to contribute equally to the Blueprint Patient Centered Medical Home payments and requires the Agency of Human Services to set a primary care investment target. S.198, a tobacco regulation bill passed the House unanimously and goes back to the Senate for final approval. |
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VMS Announces Hire of Veteran Journalist Lexi Krupp as Communications, Policy & Program Associate
VMS is very pleased to announce the hire of Lexi Krupp as the organization’s first Communications, Policy & Program Associate. Lexi has covered health care for years as a reporter in local and national newsrooms. Her stories have been featured on NPR, Here & Now, Science Friday, and beyond. She’s also worked as a gardener, fact checker and science teacher. And once, she spent a summer tracking mountain goats for the U.S. Forest Service.
Lexi studied biology at Dartmouth College and science journalism at New York University. She values the opportunity to work with clinicians across Vermont to make the state a better place to practice medicine and receive care. Lexi will begin her role with VMS on June 1. |
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Public Health News: Updates to VT Reportable Disease Rule; CDC Hantavirus HAN
Vermont’s Reportable and Communicable Diseases Rule has been updated including both removing and adding diseases from the list of reportable diseases. The new rule will be effective June 10, 2026. Clinicians should review the final, adopted Reportable and Communicable Disease Rule. The key updates are outlined in a VDH memo here. After June 9, 2026, the Reportable Disease web page will be updated.
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update to inform clinicians and health departments about testing available for patients with suspected hantavirus infection to include Andes virus. See the full HAN here. |
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Agency of Human Services Releases Telehealth, Remote Patient Monitoring, E-Consult RHT Grant Opportunities
With funding from Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) grant, the Agency of Human Services has now released three additional grant opportunities open to medical practices – funding for telehealth platforms, remote patient monitoring equipment and e-consult platforms. Responses to all grants are due June 10th.
- The telehealth opportunity provides funding to acquire and implement secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms; related hardware, system integration, and cybersecurity infrastructure; and technical assistance and training. See bid details here.
- The remote patient monitoring opportunity provide funds to provider organizations for the purchase or lease of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) equipment and/or platform. RPM may be used in home health (in home and community settings), longitudinal care programs, long term care, primary care/specialty, and community paramedicine settings. Examples of RPM equipment include, but are not limited to, internet/cellular connected tablets, smartphone applications, scales, blood pressure cuffs, pulse oximeters, glucose monitors, and cardiac monitors. See bid details here.
- The e-consult opportunity provides funds to primary care and/or specialist healthcare providers to purchase or lease electronic consultation (e-consult) technology in support of workforce capacity building. Grants will be provided to providers to enable purchase of technologies to support the build and function of an e-consult platform. Funding may be used for technology upgrades as well as startup program coordination costs that do not have an alternative funding source. See bid details here.
Questions regarding any of these three opportunities should be directed to Matthew Rockwell at ahs.contracts@vermont.gov by May 22nd.
Last week, the grant opportunity was released for AI Scribe Technology. Grant responses are due June 5th. See bid details here. |
MISC.
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Blueprint for Health Releases RFPs for Practice Support, Education
Five Requests for Proposals as a part of Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation Grant related to the Vermont Blueprint for Health have been posted. Overall the initiatives will work together to support the modernization effort for the Blueprint that includes advancements in the standards for key domains such as access, preventive and recommended care, management of chronic conditions, and complex care management. Modernization includes a focus on the management of patients with complex needs related to prioritized health conditions including Hypertension, Diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, Mental Health, and Substance Use Disorders.
The RFPs are:
The deadline for all submissions is June 22nd. All questions about and submissions should be directed to Carolyn Bowen at Carolyn.bowen@vermont.gov and ahs.dvhagrantscontracts@vermont.gov. |
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MultiPlan Litigation Update May 2026
The Vermont Medical Society is a plaintiff in the In re MultiPlan Health Insurance Provider Litigation, a federal antitrust case alleging that MultiPlan and major health insurers colluded to suppress out-of-network reimbursement rates paid to physicians and other providers and is seeking an immediate end to their anti-competitive conduct.
At the April 9 case management conference, the parties discussed with Judge Kennelly the information the defendants must share as part of discovery, including MultiPlan’s source code and cell phone records of communications between defendants.
The case is now in discovery and the court has selected the 36 bellwether plaintiffs whose cases are being worked up for trial.
However, any VMS member that wants to file a case still can do so. Members who believe they've been impacted by MultiPlan's practices are encouraged to reach out to an attorney |
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Summer Webinar Series: Employment Contract Attorney Office Hours
VMS partner Resolve is launching a new educational initiative this summer.
From June through August, Resolve will be hosting a bi-monthly webinar series called “Attorney Office Hours.” During these live sessions physicians can bring employment contract questions directly to our legal team for practical guidance and discussion. Topics will include compensation, restrictive covenants, negotiation strategies, red flags in contracts, and more.
These sessions are designed to be interactive, approachable, and helpful for physicians at all career stages, especially residents, fellows, and early-career attendings navigating new opportunities.
Details and registration for the first session on June 3rd are here:
Resolve Summer Webinar Series: Attorney Office Hours |
EVENTS
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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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AMA Independent Practice Accelerator
Workshop
Sep. 11–12 | Chicago, IL
Thinking about starting or growing an independent practice? Get
the essential knowledge, practical skills and confidence you need to
launch a new practice or strengthen the one you already have! The AMA
Independent Practice Accelerator Workshop is a two-day, in-person event
designed exclusively for physicians. Register today to get on the fast track
to independent practice success.
International Conference on Physician
Health™ (ICPH) 2026
Sponsored by the American Medical Association, British Medical
Association, and Canadian Medical Association, ICPH 2026 offers
meaningful conversations, practical takeaways, and connections that last well
beyond the event. Both virtual and in-person attendance
options available! Register today. |
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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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Save the Date: Vermont ACP Annual Scientific Meeting
October 9th at Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT
The Vermont ACP Chapter's Annual Scientific Meeting will occur on Friday, October 9, 2026. This will be an in-person meeting with no virtual option. We will again host a poster competition for resident and student members.
Meeting details and agenda forthcoming. |
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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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