September 30, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

Book Your Room by October 6th and Reserve Childcare by October 1st

We have secured a room block for the 2025 Collaborative Meeting of the Vermont Medical Society, American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, Vermont Academy of Family Physicians, and Vermont Psychiatric Association, November 7–8 at Topnotch Resort & Spa in Stowe, VT. Find more details about accommodations below.

Accommodations:

Topnotch Discounted Rooms – inclusive of all fees; block expires October 6th.
Nearby Hotels & Airbnbs – confirm the dates and your travel time to Topnotch to ensure you arrive for the meeting start.

Childcare: Register by October 1st to access complimentary childcare.

Don’t miss this chance to learn, collaborate, and celebrate with colleagues across Vermont.

For more information about the agenda and to register, click here.

VMS Members Speak up for Science

Congresswoman Becca Balint contacted VMS last week for members from the medical community who were willing to speak out about acetaminophen and Tylenol use during pregnancy. VMS members jumped in and immediately sent amazing videos in support of patients and science, and with a united message that acetaminophen and Tylenol are safe during pregnancy and do not cause autism.

See the video here.

Thank you to our members who participated and to Representative Balint for helping bring a spotlight to the issue.

Telehealth Coverage for Medicare Patients Undergoes Drastic Restriction this Wednesday

As reported previously in the Rounds, absent action from Congress, Medicare coverage for telehealth services will become more limited as of tomorrow, October 1, 2025. Effective 10/1/2025, the statutory limitations that were in place for Medicare telehealth services before the COVID-19 PHE will retake effect for most telehealth services. These include:

Geographic restrictions (beneficiary must be located in a rural health service area – search for acceptable locations here)
Site restrictions (beneficiary must be located in a health care facility at the time of receiving the telehealth service – only in their home for MH or SUD services)
Limitations on the scope of practitioners who can provide telehealth services

It is important to note that for services for behavioral or mental telehealth, all patients can continue to get telehealth wherever they’re located, with no originating site requirements or geographic location restrictions. The patient’s home is a permissible originating site for services provided for diagnosing, evaluating, or treating: mental health disorders; substance abuse disorder and monthly ESRD-related clinical assessments.

MISC.

Health Advisory: Interim Guidance for Management of Healthcare Personnel with Suspect or Confirmed Viral Respiratory Illness

In preparation for the upcoming respiratory viral season, the Health Department is issuing new guidance to support the management of respiratory viral illnesses among healthcare personnel (HCP). This evidence-based guidance reflects recommendations presented by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) in November 2024 prior to its dissolution. The guidance has also undergone review by key Vermont stakeholders, including the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, and the Visiting Nurses Association, to ensure alignment with state healthcare priorities and operational realities. Several other states in our region have adopted this guidance.

Key features of the new guidance:

Integrates guidance for COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other acute respiratory illnesses into a single framework.
Eliminates testing requirements for healthcare personnel.
Clarifies work restriction timelines.
Provides clear recommendations for source control (masking).

Work exclusion and source control remain key strategies to reduce transmission in healthcare settings. Additional infection prevention and control measures, in addition to vaccination, are outlined in CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings.

See full advisory here.

Update on National Campaign to Address Stigmatizing Licensing and Credentialing Applications

Last week, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation issued a news release highlighting how there now 40 state medical boards and more than 1,800 hospitals, health systems and other care facilities that have removed inappropriate, stigmatizing language regarding mental health and substance use. In Vermont, this includes the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital and Rutland Regional Medical Center. The AMA has worked closely with the Breen Foundation on nearly every successful effort along with VMS, many other state and national medical societies as well as key partners, including the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP). In September 2024, there were only 29 medical boards and 375 hospitals and other facilities that had made the changes consistent with the AMA, Breen Foundation, FSMB and FSPHP recommendations.

“The American Medical Association is proud that more than two million physicians and other healthcare workers can now seek mental health support or care for a substance use disorder without fear of professional repercussions,” said Bobby Mukkamala, MD, AMA president.

You can learn more about the campaign and see which licensing boards and hospitals are consistent with the AMA’s recommendations here. To connect to efforts here in Vermont, reach out to jbarnard@vtmd.org.

Register Now: 10.14.2025 AHEAD Model Updates for Vermont Webinar

On Tuesday, October 14, from 2:30-4:00pm ET, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host the Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design (AHEAD) Model Updates Webinar for stakeholders in Vermont to share recent policy and operational enhancements to the model.

During the webinar, the CMS AHEAD Model Team will:

Review the AHEAD Model strategies and approaches
Provide an overview of the new components and updates, including:

Transition from state-specific to CMMI hospital global methodology
Addition of a two-sided risk accountable care organization (ACO) program incorporating novel elements of geographic alignment and bids against a discounted benchmark (Geo AHEAD);
Addition of three new pathways in Primary Care AHEAD (PC AHEAD);
State implementation of at least two policies focused on promoting choice and competition in their health care markets;
Population Health Accountability Plans (PHAP) with a focus on preventative care, including chronic disease prevention; and
Extension of the end date of the model through December 31, 2035.

The webinar will include time to address audience questions submitted ahead of the session. Please submit questions regarding the AHEAD Model and participation to Kelsey.Telek@vermont.gov by October 6, 2025.

Event Details:

Webinar Date and Time: Tuesday, October 14, 2:30-4pm ET
Registration: To register for the webinar, please visit this link: Webinar Registration - Zoom. We encourage you to register ahead of the webinar.

AMA, Medical Groups Urge DHS to Exempt Physicians from $100K H-1B Visa Fee

Last Thursday, the American Medical Association and 53 specialty societies sent a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to exempt physicians from the newly announced $100,000 H-1B visa application fee. In the letter, “the groups urged the agency to issue guidance exempting physicians, residents and fellows from the proposed fee, arguing they are essential to sustaining a robust health care workforce in the country.” The letter adds that as of 2024, 23 percent of licensed physicians in the U.S. were foreign-trained and in 2021, about 64 percent of foreign-trained physicians were practicing in Medically Underserved Areas or Health Professional Shortage Areas. While DHS has flexibility to issue waivers for hiring individuals employed as H-1B specialty occupation workers if it is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States, the AMA letter asks for more clarification that all physicians, including medical residents, fellows, researchers, and those working in non-clinical settings, will be exempt.

EVENTS

What the Living and the Dead Owe Each Other: How the Burke and Hare Murders Changed Medicine and How We Think About Bodies

September 30, 2025

We will be taking a look at how the 1828 Burke & Hare Murders in Edinburgh changed both the medical and legal practice of human dissection, as well as current events that continue to make us think about how we view dead bodies and their role in medical education.

Anastasia Arvin-DiBlasio is a medical student at University of Vermont, just finishing her 3rd year. She became interested in medical history when her AP US History teacher did a lesson on Civil War amputations - she was hooked! The 19th century is her favorite for medical history. What fascinates her is how many things were discovered or pioneered in this era (and others) that are still in use today, and the far reach it has outside medicine proper.

Annual Women in Medicine Lectureship: Special Screening of 1001 Cuts followed by Filmmaker Discussion

September 30, 2025, 7pm to 8pm

Join the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), this September, Women in Medicine Month, for the launch of a global awareness campaign to strengthen equity and promote inclusion in medicine. In partnership with the Video Project, this campaign features the powerful documentary 1001 CUTS, which exposes the barriers women face in surgery and highlights the urgent need for change across healthcare and beyond.

Through candid testimonials,1001 CUTS shows how everyday slights and systemic discrimination accumulate over time–and how addressing these barriers benefits not only women but the entire healthcare system. The goal is to spark a global conversation that raises awareness and inspires meaningful action.

Learn more and register here.

Vermont ACP Chapter Annual Scientific Meeting

October 3, 2025

In-Person Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

The Vermont ACP Chapter's Annual Scientific Meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 3, 2025. This will be an in-person meeting at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT. We will again host a poster competition for resident and student members.

The ACP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American College of Physicians designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 credits (s).

Visit the Meeting Hub for registration, agenda, and details of the meeting here.

Vermont Public Health Association: Federal Cuts to Global and Public Health Programs: Effects and Responses

October 16, 2025 - 5pm to 8pm

In-Person and Virtual

Join the University of Vermont and Vermont Public Health Association for an evening of critical exploration of the impacts federal funding cuts and policy changes are having on global and public health. With global and public health systems facing unprecedented headwinds, what’s the latest on these disruptions? How is the global and public health community responding? What more can and must be done to protect the health of our communities here and around the world?

Come engage with our event’s keynote speaker and two panels of global health and public health experts (bios below) as we explore how to best navigate these tumultuous times.

This is a free event, but pre-registration is required here.

Medicare Advantage: The Good, The Bad, and The Future

October 21, 2025, 4pm to 5pm

In this session, three nationally recognized experts will discuss opportunities and challenges for Medicare Advantage, which now enrolls more than half of Medicare beneficiaries. The panelists will examine evidence of the program’s effects on quality and costs; weigh concerns about risk adjustment and coding practices; and consider the tradeoffs that policymakers face when deciding whether and how to reform the program.

View the flyer here and register here.

Clinical Quality Symposium: Building & Expanding Collaborative Systems for Maternal Health

October 28, 2025

Join us for a one-day symposium focused on strengthening partnerships across maternity care, primary care, and public health. Designed for maternity providers, primary care clinicians, public health professionals, and community organizations, this event will explore collaborative models to improve maternal health outcomes—particularly in the face of growing maternity care deserts in Vermont and New Hampshire.

Sessions will include:

Innovative approaches to integrating maternity and primary care
Dedicated breakout tracks for maternity and primary care providers
Strategies to support postpartum care and mental health
Practical tools for building cross-sector collaboration

2025 Collaborative Meeting

November 7 - November 8, 2025

In-Person at Topnotch Resort, Stowe, VT

The 2025 Collaborative Meeting will be held on November 7th and 8th in-person with the option to join virtually for the Awards Ceremony.

Topics include:

Battling Misinformation
AI Uses in Local Practices
Medical Student and Resident Case Presentations
Beyond Moral Injury - Reclaiming Agency, Belief, & Joy in Medicine
Health Reform Panel Presentations with Discussions

Hosted in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians and the Vermont Psychiatric Association, is a celebration of the unwavering commitment Vermont clinicians have to their practice and to the deep connection VMS members have with each other.

2025 Obesity Medicine & Weight Management Conference

November 14, 2025

Delta Hotel, South Burlington, VT

This conference is designed to improve the skills of primary care healthcare teams as they navigate new treatments in obesity medicine and weight management. The target audience includes primary care physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and other health professionals who pertain to primary care.

Learn more and register here.

AlpTerra Wilderness Medicine Course

March 5–9, March 12–16, 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.

For more information about offerings from UVM CMIE, visit here.

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