Current News

Fletcher Allen Health Care filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application with the Green Mountain Care Board today seeking approval to purchase two parcels of real estate located adjacent to Hinesburg Road in South Burlington: the majority of the 92-acre Mountain View Business Park, containing Tilley Drive where Fletcher Allen leases two buildings, and an adjoining undeveloped 38-acre parcel. The proposed combined purchase price for both properties is approximately $51 million. A CON application is necessary when a proposed hospital expenditure exceeds $3 million.

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield’s single scoop shop grew into an ice cream empire. Dealer.com went public with a sale of nearly $1 billion in 2013. Coca-Cola now owns $3.2 billion worth of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters — renamed Keurig Green Mountain. These darlings of Vermont-style homegrown entrepreneurialism all got their start with the help of small business loans — capital they may or may not be able to get in the current lending climate.

“No one maybe would make that loan today,” said Darcy Carter, district director of the federal Small Business Administration in Vermont. “Who can say if that’s the right thing to do or not.”

Vermont Gas Systems issued a statement today saying the South Burlington Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a protestor who it says assaulted an administrative support staff member at Vermont Gas last Tuesday when a group of protesters from Rising Tide Vermont and 350.org demonstrated at the utility’s office. Vermont Gas stated it has previously allowed protestors to express their views peacefully.

“We don’t have a problem with people expressing their opinions and concerns, but last week protestors went too far when they assaulted and injured an employee and endangered themselves and others by climbing on the roof,” said Stephen Wark, communications director for Vermont Gas.

The Brattleboro Retreat has announced the launch of a broad-based media campaign designed to raise public awareness and reduce the social stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. The campaign known as Stand Up to Stigma includes a variety of messages in print, radio, and online formats. These messages provide fact-based information aimed at countering the stereotypical myths that often surround psychiatric and addictive disorders as well as the people affected by them. As a part of the campaign, the Retreat has launched www.brattlebororetreat.org/standup to offer more information regarding mental illness and addiction stigmas, as well as campaign materials.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc Tuesday announced two new Bank Better enhancements that expand mobile banking functionality for Citizens Bank and Charter One customers – mobile check deposits and fast account balances. Both enhancements use industry-leading technology designed to deliver increased customer convenience. CFG’s mobile check deposits capture check images using a mobile device’s video camera. Because there is no need to tap a button – which can cause blurry or incomplete images and frustrating retakes – depositing checks is quick and simple. The bank’s new Fast Balance™ feature makes it simple and easy for on-the-go customers to view account balances without needing to log into their mobile banking app for iPhone and Android. CFG is one of the first banks to offer customers this convenient solution.

All the public institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have joined the New England Secondary School Consortium (newenglandssc.org) and three private institutions to endorse educational approaches that can strengthen student preparation for college, modern careers, and adult life.

Over the past decade, the movement to adopt proficiency-based approaches to teaching, learning, and graduating has gained momentum in New England, and throughout the country, as more educators, parents, business leaders, and elected officials recognize that high educational standards and strong academic preparation are essential to success in today's world.

In spite of early concerns that hospitals’ economic strengths would lead them to dominate the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), a new study published in the June issue of Health Affairs reveals the central role of physician leadership in the first wave of ACOs.

“The broad reach of physician leadership in ACOs has important implications for the future of health care reform”, said Carrie Colla, PhD, lead investigator of the study. “A central role for physicians in the leadership of ACOs is likely to have a powerful influence on how both physicians and patients view the ACO model.”

by Morgan True vtdigger.org The nearly complete $38 million Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital in Berlin is a state-of-the-art mental health facility that feels all but institutional. Expected to open at partial capacity in July, the 53,000-square-foot low-slung brick structure is built following the latest best practices to improve therapeutic outcomes for patients.

“There’s actually research that’s been done looking at architectural features in facilities like this that reduce violence,” said Jeff Rothenberg, CEO of the new hospital.

The 25-bed hospital has four wards, two larger and two smaller, so patients can be placed according to the acuity of their symptoms in higher or lower stimulation areas.

A report released today by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) shows Vermont continues to be a national leader in the fight to end childhood hunger, especially during the summer months when free school meals are not available. The “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation” report shows the first nationwide positive increase in participation in summer nutrition for children in the past decade with an average daily participation increase of 5.7 percent. The national Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which has made outreach on summer nutrition a priority along with state partners such as Vermont’s Agency of Education and Hunger Free Vermont. Vermont is ranked 5th in the country for utilization of this program.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org The process for determining Vermont Health Connect premium rates starts Monday. State officials say rates next year will likely go up because of a variety of factors. In its first year, the state’s federally mandated online insurance marketplace enrolled 60,835 people in small group and individual market health plans. The rates approved by the board will determine what those people pay in premiums and out-of-pocket costs in 2015. The two carriers participating in the state’s health insurance exchange were required to submit their rate requests to the Green Mountain Care Board on Monday.

The board will have 90 days to evaluate the assumptions underlying the rate requests from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and MVP Health Care and to then approve a new set of rates. (Last year’s rates can be seen here.)

The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems and Vermont Student Assistance Corp marked national 529 Day by starting a college savings account for Skyra Musgrove – the first baby born May 29 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Baby Skyra, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces, was born at 12:36 am in Brattleboro, one of the participating hospitals in 529 Day event.

“We are so excited to be able to partner with VSAC and the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan to award our ‘529 Baby’ with money for their college savings,” said Jill Olson, vice president of policy and legislative affairs for the hospital association. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for a family to receive money for college.”

Ameritox, the nation's leader in medication monitoring solutions, today announced a new agreement with MVP Health Care to provide urine drug monitoring services to MVP plan members in New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Ameritox's services will be a covered benefit in all health plans offered by MVP, including Medicare and Medicaid.

"Ensuring the safety and well-being of our members is important to us," stated Dr Carl Cameron, Vice President of Medical Management at MVP Health Care. "The critical insight and knowledge gained by providing prescription medication monitoring, will allow physicians to more adequately assess a patient's progress and maintenance of chronic conditions."