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Vermont’s health care oversight authority, the Green Mountain Care Board, has cleared the way for the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) in Bennington to transfer its operations to the Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice (RAVNAH). The new, larger entity will improve care coordination, expand services across Bennington County, and prepare the area for health care reform. The two organizations will move swiftly to begin combining operations, which will take effect October 1.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and one of its subsidiaries — the Vermont Health Plan — are appealing a decision by state regulators to reduce a rate increase request. The insurance company says the lower rate could hurt the solvency of the Vermont Health Plan. The Green Mountain Care Board went against the advice of the Department of Financial Regulation and its own actuaries this month when it reduced the Vermont Health Plan’s request to increase to its reserve fund from 2 percent to 0.5 percent, filings with the state show. The Vermont Health Plan is a for-profit company owned by Blue Cross that is used primarily by small to mid-sized companies with 50 to 200 employees, according to Kevin Goddard, vice president of external affairs. It has 5,610 policyholders covering 10,743 lives.

Rutland-area businesses may be visited over the next few weeks by representatives from Efficiency Vermont. The energy efficiency utility is conducting research in an effort to update and improve their services for southern Vermont commercial customers. Efficiency Vermont offers technical assistance, rebates, and special financing to all Vermont businesses—thousands of which are already benefiting. Bonnie Hawley, of Hawley’s Florist in downtown Rutland, is saving $1,150 each year, after an initial $800 investment in her store’s lighting. Energy efficient upgrades can have other benefits as well. Says Hawley, “The lighting upgrades I did have greatly enhanced my in-store flower displays.”

The University of Vermont has become affiliated with the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), joining more than 180 U.S. colleges and universities. Chris McCabe, assistant vice president of marketing and business development, made the announcement. The Worker Rights Consortium is an independent labor rights monitoring organization, conducting investigations of working conditions in factories around the globe.

"UVM has been a member of the Fair Labor Association for a number of years,” McCabe said. “It was a natural progression to add the WRC to our list of affiliate organizations who provide a foundation for workers rights in factories all over the world. I would like to thank our students, staff in the UVM Bookstore and members of the Burlington community for their thoughtful attention to this process. proving once again that the idea of social justice is a core value in the UVM community.”

Source: University Communications, July 14, 2014

Today, Seventh Generation, a leading brand of non-toxic and renewable bio-based household, baby and personal care solutions, announces its acquisition of the Gamila Products, LLC business. Gamila's Impress Coffee Brewer and Teastick products will be folded into Seventh Generation Ventures as part of the bobble® brand portfolio. bobble is on a mission to reduce the outrageous waste of single serve water bottles through its reusable bottle that blends style and function, filtering water while you drink.

Green Mountain Power customers can now choose to repay home energy efficiency loans on their monthly GMP electric bill, thanks to a partnership with NeighborWorks of Western Vermont. This partnership leverages GMP’s billing system with nonprofit NeighborWorks’ revolving loan fund. The on-bill service allows GMP customers to make energy improvements to their homes with the help of a loan from NeighborWorks and make their monthly payments when they pay their GMP bill. The program is available to all GMP customers.

“We are so pleased to partner with NeighborWorks to make it possible for customers to make energy improvements to their homes with this unique partnership,” said Mary Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Power. “Helping customers make their homes more efficient with renewable and alternative energy technology is an important step forward as part of our mission to provide a reliable, clean and cost-effective energy future.”

by Katie Jickling vtdigger.org After an initial postponement, the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules unanimously passed the 360-page revision of Vermont’s health care regulations. The rules went before LCAR two weeks ago, but the committee postponed the vote to settle a disagreement in the interpretation of a section of the rules between the state and Vermont Legal Aid. Vermont Legal Aid, a nonprofit that provides free legal services to Vermonters, argued that the new set of rules would exclude a small number of people from getting Choice for Care coverage, a Medicaid-funded program. The state claims that the rule is consistent with previous policy.

Nearly 6,000 registered cyclists, walkers, rowers, and golfers (and 1,300 volunteers) gathered in Hanover, NH, Saturday for The 33rd Annual Prouty, northern New England’s largest charity fundraiser. People from all over the country come together every July to fight cancer, while spending the day in activities that promote their own health. Sunshine and comfortable summer temperatures contributed to the festive mood as participants walked or cycled through neighborhoods and roads in New Hampshire and Vermont, rowed on the Connecticut River, or took to the links at the Hanover Country Club.

Vermont Trophy & Engraving has acquired the Engraving Bench and Fine Gifts of Essex Jct as of July 11. Vermont Trophy & Engraving has focused on developing the business-to-business market since Steve and Margi Swett bought the company in 1996. With the purchase of the Engraving Bench they will now add to their company a well established customer base that they will serve with the same professionalism they have with Vermont Trophy customers for years.

“This is a natural expansion for us,” Margi Swett, owner of Vermont Trophy & Engraving said. “As Steve Shover, owner of the Engraving Bench and Fine Gifts is looking to retire. We feel we can easily assimilate his customers into ours pretty seamlessly. Vermont Trophy & Engraving is dedicated to serving the Engraving Bench customers with the same integrity and dedication we have with our own customers all these years,” Swett said.

Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) employee Melanie Sheehan was presented with a Prevention Champion award during Prevention Works! VT’s annual Prevention Day event held at the Vermont State House. Sheehan is MAHHC’s Director of Community Health Outreach and Chair of Mt Ascutney Prevention Partnership (MAPP), serving the towns of Windsor, West Windsor, Hartland and Weathersfield, Vermont.

Sheehan was honored by Prevention Works! VT, a network of coalitions and community organizations working to decrease the prevalence of tobacco use, drug use, underage drinking and high-risk drinking in Vermont among youths and young adults. The Prevention Champion award recognizes those who help provide support for a healthier life in the community by reducing risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse.

Vermont Business Magazine Respondents to a questionnaire conducted by the Vermont Attorney General's office concerning labels for genetically engineered foods do not want the disclaimer “the Food and Drug Administration does not consider foods produced from genetic engineering to be materially different from other foods” added to the label. Governor Shumlin signed the GE (aka, GMO) food labeling bill into law in May. The state faces substantial legal opposition from the food industry before labels will actually start to appear. But as part of the state's process of developing rules to implement the first-in-the-nation GE Food Labeling Law, Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell prepared a public questionnaire on how the labeling should appear. He issued preliminary results from the questionnaire Monday. The questionnaire, which was open from June 4 through June 30, 2014, received over 2,200 responses.

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The Department of Environmental Conservation’s Compliance and Enforcement Division (CED) today announced that it has settled environmental violations involving Maple Glen, Inc. The company owns and operates a communal campground in Sheldon, Vermont. The settlement includes a $28,750.00 penalty and compliance and permitting requirements.

A CED and Natural Resources Board investigation revealed numerous violations including of wastewater, wetlands, solid waste, Act 250, water supply, and open burning regulations at the campground. The company hired an engineer to help it address all these issues. The company corrected the solid waste, wetland, and burning issues during the pendency of the investigation. The company also obtained a wastewater system and potable water supply permit and installed one of two approved systems, and has decided to re-design the uninstalled system. The company also submitted an Act 250 permit application which is under review.