June 3, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

Legislature Extends the Session to Complete Work, Returning June 16th

In a flurry of activity last Friday lawmakers worked until midnight to complete legislation and gavel out the 2025 legislative session. In a session that has been marked by efforts to achieve key system change in education funding, health and hospital reform, and the creation of affordable housing, lawmakers fell short in finding agreement on their education funding bill and extended the session. The Legislature, which usually adjourns by May 15th, is now scheduled to return to work and officially conclude on June 16^th. There are other bills that did not make it over the finish line as well, like H.480, the miscellaneous education bill that contains the cell phone free schools language and is expected to be considered on June 16^th, and S.71, a consumer data privacy bill that is at an impasse between the House and Senate versions and not expected to pass this year due in part to the House’s inclusion of a private right of action allowing citizen suits against businesses.

Lawmakers did pass several bills aimed at controlling hospitals’ costs of care as a means to limit double-digit premium increases projected by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT). With the insurance carrier saying they are at a "crisis point" and threatening bankruptcy, lawmakers were more focused on keeping BCBSVT afloat than on interruptions to healthcare services that could occur as a result of legislation looking to reduce hospital costs. Some of the health care legislation that passed in the last days of legislative work includes:

S.126, a health reform bill that directs the Green Mountain Care Board to set hospital prices (through “reference-based pricing”) and the Board may also establish reference-based pricing for non-hospital-based healthcare professionals. By 2028 the Board is also directed to establish global hospital budgets for non-critical access hospitals and by 2030 to establish global budgets for all Vermont hospitals. The bill establishes a Health Care Delivery Advisory Committee along with a Vermont Steering Committee for Comprehensive Primary Health Care. These committees will work with the Agency of Human Services and others to develop a Statewide Healthcare Delivery Plan. The Executive Director of the Blueprint for Health is required to call the first meeting of the Primary Care Steering Committee by September 1, 2025. This bill advances to the Governor's desk.
H.482, a bill that was sent to the Governor's desk Friday, would allow the Green Mountain Care Board to reduce a hospital's reimbursement rates in the event a health insurance carrier is in "acute risk" of insolvency. This bill also provides the Board with the authority to assign an independent observer if a hospital is being noncompliant with budget constraints. If signed this bill goes into effect immediately.
H.266 began as a bill related to the 340B drug pricing program but in the last days of the session expanded to address the costs charged by Vermont hospitals for outpatient administered drugs. Despite the CEO of Northwestern testifying that the bill will force NMC to close their infusion center and UVMMC not likely to be able to absorb their patients, the legislature moved ahead with the proposal to cap what a hospital can charge for a prescription drug administered in an outpatient or office setting to 120 percent of the average sales price (ASP). Northwestern and other hospitals commented that their acquisition costs are often above 120% of ASP and therefore they will not be able to afford to acquire important infused medications. This provision will go into effect on January 1, 2026 and does allow hospitals to petition to the GMCB to increase their commercial reimbursement rates for one or more of its service lines if the cap will negatively impact access to services.

Join us this Thursday from 12:30-1pm for a zoom update by VMS staff on the outcomes of the legislative session. Join the meeting here. In next week’s Rounds, VMS will link to our comprehensive summary of all health care-related legislation that we followed in the 2025 legislative session.

2025 Legislative Session Wrap Up by VMS Staff

Join the VMS staff on Thursday, June 5th from 12:30 - 1pm to learn about the most recent legislative session.

Join us on June 5th at 12:30pm by clicking here.

Meeting ID: 867 2625 3105 / Password: 540684

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Dial In - +1 646 876 9923 / Meeting ID: 867 2625 3105 / Password: 540684

Note: This Legislative Wrap Up is taking the place of our normally scheduled monthly Commissioner of Health Update. We are rotating topics and speakers while the Commissioner of Health role is unfilled. We will not hold a call on July 3^rd due to proximity to the July 4^th holiday.

DVHA Provider Stabilization Fund Open for Applications

The legislature provided $10 million in the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for “Provider Stabilization Grants.” This funds are available to Vermont Medicaid participating providers with demonstrated stabilization needs and a plan to achieve sustainability, including substance use residential treatment facilities, federally qualified health centers, residential mental health providers, and other providers of health care and human services. Applications are now being accepted; the application and more information is available here. Once the $10 million is awarded, all pending applicants will be notified that the program is closed.

VMS Launches New Physician Leadership Development Course - Apply Today!

The Vermont Medical Society is pleased to announce that we are now partnering with the University of Vermont Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) unit to offer a new statewide physician leadership development course beginning in September 2025 and running until March 2026. The course is designed to empower physician leaders across Vermont with the skills, knowledge, practical experience, and networking opportunities needed to foster effective team success.

See the course information and FAQs here.

VMS is now accepting interested applicants!

Applicants submit a brief statement of interest in the course and a CV. Apply here. Applications are due July 1, 2025. If there are more interested candidates than seats, VMS will select participants with the goal of wide representation from practice types, specialties and locations. (Please note, UVM Health Network physicians should apply separately - learn more here.)

Key dates:

Applications due July 1, 2025
Selected candidates informed by July 18, 2025
Registration and $3400 in tuition due by August 22, 2025
Course begins September 12, 2025, in-person at Topnotch, Stowe

Contact Stephanie Winters at swinters@vtmd.org with questions.

MISC.

Substance Misuse Prevention Oversight and Advisory Council (SMPC) - Apply for 2-Year Term

The Substance Misuse Prevention Oversight and Advisory Council (SMPC) was created in 2019 (Act 82) to consolidate advisory councils focused on substances to ensure a comprehensive and multi-sector approach to reviewing current substance use prevention work. The SMPC is charged with providing advice to the Governor and General Assembly for improving prevention policies and programming throughout the State and to ensure that population prevention measures are at the forefront of all policy determinations.

We are looking to fill a 2-year term for a person with expertise in pediatric care specific to substance misuse prevention or substance use disorder (see page 7 of Act 82).

The SMPC meets virtually every other month on the fourth Monday from 1-3 pm as a full Council, with optional subcommittee meetings occurring alternating months. Meeting cadence, current membership information, and the 2025 Annual Report can be found here.

Those who are interested in being considered for appointment for this Council should email Nicole Rau Mitiguy (nicole.rau@vermont.gov) a cover letter and resume outlining your interest by June 30^th at 4:00 pm.

For any questions or clarifications contact: nicole.rau@vermont.gov

Help VDH Develop Vermont's First Maternal Health Strategic Plan

The Vermont Department of Health’s Division of Family and Child Health (FCH) invites partners from across the maternal health system—clinicians, advocates, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience—to join a collaborative planning process to improve maternal health across Vermont. This work, supported by the federal Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) Grant, will create and implement Vermont’s first Maternal Health Strategic Plan. If you or your organization supports pregnant or postpartum Vermonters in any way, we want you at the table.

Learn more at the program website here, including opportunities to fill out a brief interest survey to tell us about your preferred level of involvement and register for an in-person Maternal Health Strategic Planning Meeting on Tuesday, July 30, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Waterbury State Office Complex.

Clinician Wellbeing Workshops Available at No Cost for 2025

VMS is pleased to continue our partnership with Doug Wysockey-Johnson of Lumunos Clinician Well-Being Services to provide up to 9 practices/medical staffs no-cost clinician wellbeing workshops over 2025.

Lumunos Clinician Well-Being Workshops are designed to support clinicians in meeting the demands of modern health care. Workshops are built around Lumunos’ daily experience working with physicians, nurses, APPs and clinical leaders across the country. These meetings are designed to be efficient, effective and interactive, with topics that directly address the biggest challenges clinicians face daily. Workshops are led by Doug Wysockey-Johnson, Workplace Program Facilitator of Lumunos, a seasoned facilitator with 20 years of experience leading clinician groups

New topics available for 2025 include: Creating a Positive Team Culture; Work/Home Boundaries; Hope; and Compassion (Fatigue). Click here for more details and to see the full list of available topics.

Doug is also partnering with VMS for the first time in 2025 to offer no cost coaching sessions to a select number of VMS members. Read more here. Contact Jessa at jbarnard@vtmd.org or Doug at doug@lumunos.org with additional questions or to book a workshop or coaching session.