May 6, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

End In Sight for Legislative Session – Budget in Conference Committee; Major Policy Bills in Final Mark-Up

Legislative leaders are working towards May 30^th as the adjournment date for the legislative session. While coming a few weeks later than typical, legislative work does look to be heading towards a conclusion. An update on VMS issues includes:

State Budget: The State Fiscal Year 2026 budget has now passed the Senate and is in conference committee where the House and Senate will work out their remaining differences. One outstanding question is whether Medicaid rate increases for FQHCs and designated mental health agencies will take place at the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1) or be put off until January 1, 2026, when the legislature will know more about the timing and extent of potential federal Medicaid cuts. Funding for the primary care “gap year” of 2026 is still in the budget and VMS is watching closely to make sure this stays in the final budget agreement: $3.95 million (full need is $5.5 million) for primary care programs funded by OneCare Vermont (CPR & PHM payments) and $4.4 million in state funds to continue Medicare-funded Blueprint for Health programs.
Maple Mountain Family Medicine Residency Program: Thanks to a last minute advocacy push, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee took a strong interest in funding the Maple Mountain Family Medicine Residency Program and is looking to include the program in their workforce development bill, S. 122, and fund the first few years of start up costs through the state budget.
The House Health Care Committee spent the bulk of last week diving deep into the language of S. 126, the health care transformation bill that includes moving hospitals to reference-based pricing based on Medicare costs no later than 2027. The latest draft of the bill can be found here. The Committee is likely to remove language directing the GMCB to also implement hospital global budgets, wanting first to review the impacts of a transition to reference-based pricing, and adds a new section calling on AHS to work with hospitals to identify a 5% reduction in health care system costs by July 1, 2025. The Committee has also taken interest in VMS-proposed language to add more of a focus on primary care and the latest draft of the bill creates a new Comprehensive Primary Health Care Steering Committee, housed in the Blueprint for Health Program. The Committee plans to finish mark up and vote on the bill this week.
Last week, work also continued in the House Education Committee on cell phone use in schools; various committees looked at recommendations from the Cannabis Control Board for changes to cannabis regulation; and the House Commerce Committee began to review comprehensive data privacy legislation.
This week, among continuing discussions of the items above, the Senate Health & Welfare Committee will wrap up work on their bill authorizing the GMCB to withhold hospital funding to shore up insurer solvency, continue work on a bill regulating PFAS in consumer products, and will hold a hearing on adding prescribing authority for psychologists. The House Health Care Committee will begin reviewing a bill that adds Medicaid coverage for doula services.

Maple Mountain Family Medicine Residency Program Earns ACGME Accreditation

Maple Mountain Family Medicine Residency Program has officially been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to host family medicine residents in Vermont.

Pending funding, Maple Mountain plans to welcome its first class of residents in July 2026. This achievement marks a major milestone in the Program’s vision to strengthen and invest in primary care across Vermont’s rural communities. The Program uses the Teaching Health Center model and will deliver a novel curriculum within a rural FQHC paired with a local hospital partner, utilizing larger regional hospitals to enhance inpatient heavy disciplines. The Consortium collaborates with University of Vermont Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and a Northern New England learning collaborative to ensure robust educational programming and faculty development. VMS, BiState Primary Care and Gifford Health Care are continuing advocacy efforts to secure funding for the first four years of running the program before it becomes self-sustaining.

VMS Board Seeking Resolution Feedback by May 20th

The VMS Board is seeking member feedback on a policy resolution related to:

Clinical Input Into Health Reform

The full text of the Resolution is available here.

All members will received a survey link specific to you by the end of the day Tuesday, April 22nd. If you did not receive your survey link or have any questions or concerns with completing the survey, please contact bpauley@vtmd.org.

The survey will be open for member comment between April 22, 2025 and May 20, 2025 The resolutions will be discussed together with the feedback received from members by the VMS Board at its June 18th Board Meeting.

Vermont Immunization Program Updates

Merideth Plumpton, RN, Vermont Immunization Program Manager, provided a webinar update to VMS Members last Thursday. Topics included: the current measles outbreak; COVID, flu and RSV activity and vaccine updates; and potential federal policy changes on the horizon. The sides from the presentation are available here.

MISC.

Vermont Department of Health Newsletters

The Vermont Department of Health has launched a new newsletter, Vermont Public Health in Focus. It highlights the work of your Health Department, both behind the scenes and in the field. Find the archive and subscribe here, as well as see the full list of VDH newsletters.

PlanWell - Planning for Retirement Webinar

Join PlanWell for a Planning for Retirement webinar on Tuesday, May 20th at 5pm.

Retirement is often the first thing we think about when we talk about our overall

financial well-being. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of retirement planning

and what strategies you can use to secure your plan. We’ll cover how to envision your retirement, how to build your retirement strategy, different sources of retirement

income, and key risks to consider.

View the flyer for the event here and register here.

Resources and Events from AMA Professional Satisfaction and Practice Sustainability

Experiences of Ageism Among Senior Physicians

May is Senior Physicians Recognition Month. A new, AMA-authored study highlights the diverse experiences of senior physicians and underscores the importance of promoting inclusive policies and practices within health care. Learn more.

AMA STEPS FORWARD^® TOOLKITS:

Onboarding Optimization
Feeling valued from the start of employment is a crucial element for improving physician well-being and improving retention rates. This new toolkit sets up team members for success before, during and after the first day. Start learning.

Governance for Augmented Intelligence in Health Care
Harness the potential of AI to improve operational efficiency and support positive patient outcomes with this new toolkit. Start learning.

Pre-Visit Laboratory Testing
Cleveland Clinic saved 57,000 hours per year with an automated workflow for pre-visit lab tests. Save time and improve patient care with this recently updated toolkit. Start learning.

EVENTS

AI Tools for Documentation: The Newest Member of the Care Team
May 20 | noon CT
Jason Misurac, MD, MS, and Lidia Moura, MD, PhD, MPH, discuss how implementing ambient listening and documentation technologies in practice can streamline workflows, create efficiencies and positively impact physician burnout. Register now.

Establishing an AI Governance Framework
June 17 | noon CT
Creating an effective AI governance process requires an honest assessment of organizational culture, deep expertise in clinical informatics and appropriate engagement of clinical stakeholders to align priorities. In this webinar, gain insights and frameworks that empower health care organizations to do what’s best for patients, physicians and care teams. Register now.

EVENTS

Reimagining Primary Care: Innovation, Technology and Policy for a Healthier Future
May 12th - 1 PM to 2 PM EST

As primary care innovations continue to improve population health, it’s crucial for providers, policy makers, advocates and technology companies to stay knowledgeable about the future of this service.

Join Manatt Health and the Primary Care Development Corporation for an interactive webinar to learn more about best practices and hear from industry leaders in care delivery, investment and access.

This webinar will provide insight into the envisioned future and tackle real life issues.

Learn more details here and register here.