Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) offers in-person assistance to community members enrolling in Vermont Health Connect, the state’s health insurance marketplace. 2019 open enrollment began November 1 and ends December 15. This is the time when any Vermonter can sign up for 2019 health coverage or make changes to an existing plan. Enrolling members will have a coverage start date of January 1, 2019.

Current Vermont Health Connect members aren’t required to compare health plans or to take any action at all. As long as they continue paying their bills, they’re automatically renewed in the 2019 version of their 2018 plan. In past years, most members have gone this route.

Due to this year’s changes, however, officials strongly encourage members to invest the time needed to be sure they’re enrolled in the best plan for them.

by John McClaughry Two weeks ago President Trump unveiled his long-promised plan for lowering prescription drug prices. It has two main features, relating to Medicare Part B. The first part responds to a real problem and is a useful solution. The second part offers a Trump solution that promises to cripple the world’s leading pharmaceutical industry.

Under Part B, Medicare covers the cost of any approved drug delivered in a doctor’s office or clinic, as opposed to medications bought at a pharmacy. That cost is whatever the drug company charges. The prescribing doctor gets a six percent commission on each sale.

The Trump proposal would replace this commission with a flat fixed fee. That would take away the incentive to prescribe and buy the highest cost product for the patient. So far so good.

Vermont Business Magazine Physician's Computer Company (PCC), the leading pediatric-focused vendor for independent pediatricians nationwide, has announced their membership in and early implementation of Carequality. Carequality is a public-private, multi-stakeholder collaborative that provides a framework for the seamless exchange of data between healthcare entities.

In healthcare, the need for systems for be interoperable grows every day. PCC's membership in Carequality assures pediatricians that the EHR vendor is working at the cutting edge of data exchange technology.

Vermont Business Magazine Community members have an additional location to drop off unused and unwanted prescription medications year-round. Copley Hospital has installed a secure prescription medication drop box in the main hallway outside of the Laboratory Check-in. Secure prescription medication drop boxes are also located in the Lamoille County Sheriff’s office, in the Morristown Police Department, and in the Hardwick Police Department.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Loan Fund has announced the second round of SPROUT, a low-interest loan program for emerging working lands entrepreneurs. The financing program was created to meet the capital needs of Vermont farms, food producers & processors, foresters, forest products businesses and others in the start-up and early stages of operations. Loan applications are now being accepted.

Vermont Business Magazine Lowe’s Companies, Inc (NYSE: LOW) today announced it will close 51 of its big box home improvement stores. Most of the closing are in Canada and none are in Vermont or New Hampshire, or near the borders in Massachusetts or Upstate New York. There are two Lowe's in Vermont, both in the Burlington area. Lowe's said in a statement that the wind-down of certain underperforming store locations is part of its ongoing strategic reassessment. The closest store closings to Vermont are in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Grandby, Quebec.

To focus on its most profitable stores and improve the overall health of its store portfolio, the company said it will:

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Dinse, the Burlington-based law firm, announced today that Spencer Knapp has rejoined the firm as senior counsel, after stepping down as Senior Vice President & General Counsel of UVM Health Network and UVM Medical Center on September 30. Knapp served in those positions for 16 years. Before joining the Medical Center, Knapp was a longtime partner of Dinse where his law practice focused on corporate and health care matters.

Vermont Business Magazine Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), southeastern Vermont’s community mental-health agency, announced today that its Windsor County DUI Treatment Docket court program has expanded to become the Southeast Regional DUI Treatment Docket by virtue of the program’s capacity to now serve Orange and Windham Counties. A five-year, $1.9 million grant received by the Vermont Judiciary from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) now supports not only an expanded service region but also expanded eligibility criteria for referral to this program, along with expanded access to evidence-based services.

Vermont Business Magazine This list is final from Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos. We have posted all tax returns as received to this point. Information is as provided by candidates.

Vermont Business Magazine Inntopia has recently moved their Burlington operations to a larger space in 55 Community Drive at Technology Park. Inntopia has signed a five-year lease on the new 4,825 square-foot space comprised of a large common area with flexible configuration options, five meeting rooms, and a large kitchen. The new office is located within one of our LEED certified buildings. Their new space at Technology Park provides easy access to the airport, maintains several recreational trails surrounding the park and Whales Tails, has abundant parking, and is convenient to public transportation.

Google Maps photo of 55 Community Drive at Technology Park in South Burlington.

Vermont Business Magazine K&E Plastics, a leader in machined plastic parts, has been certified by the US Small Business Administration as a HUBZONE business. The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZONE) is a SBA program to encourage business investment in underserved communities.

The HUBZONE program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities by mandating that 3% of all Federal Prime Contracting dollars awarded are to be set aside for HUBZONE certified firms.

Vermont Business Magazine A community non-profit that has served Burlington since 1866–just one year after the City itself was incorporated has formally marked the start of an historic next chapter. At a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday morning, the Greater Burlington YMCA celebrated the start of construction on a new 50,000-square-foot facility at 298 College Street, Burlington, that is anticipated to open its doors in early 2020.