Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Ahead of next week's hearing with Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), today announced that CEOs of major generic pharmaceutical companies are willing to sell Ozempic to Americans for less than $100 per month at a profit. Novo Nordisk currently charges Americans with Type 2 diabetes $969 a month for Ozempic, while this same exact drug can be purchased for just $155 in Canada, $122 in Denmark, and just $59 in Germany. Incredibly, Novo Nordisk also charges Americans with obesity $1,349 a month for Wegovy, while this same exact product can be purchased for just $186 in Denmark, $140 in Germany, and $92 in the United Kingdom.

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center MFG Day makes a big impact in shifting the misconception of modern manufacturing. Tell your story by opening your doors and hosting an event with students, parents, educators, media, community leaders and elected officials. Registering your event contributes to the larger MFG Day phenomenon in a major way. The more events we know about, the more people we can say we’ve affected — which inspires more interest in manufacturing.  

by Bill Schubart So, to envision and create effective change in our healthcare system, we must be honest with ourselves about the challenges and opportunities that deter or impel strategic change. Challenges include: Ineffective nonprofit board governance: Hospital boards (as well as many other nonprofit boards) rarely seem to understand that they’re ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the institutions they govern. The president or executive director serves solely at the will of the board, which oversees the leader’s hiring, firing, compensation, and does an annual 360 performance review based on his or her effective delivery on mission. UVMHN is one of the most expensive academic medical centers in the country. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending September 7, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases in Vermont finally declined after several weeks of increasing cases. Hospitalizations also saw fewer visits, but COVID-related deaths in August were at their highest level since January. COVID fatalities increased by 4 in the last week and are at 1,190 since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. The weekly report also shows that hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases have declined to just over 15 people being treated at a Vermont hospital each week. At the beginning of the summer there were only about 5 but had been spiking to over 20 over the last month. The number of COVID cases fell for the first time since the end of June.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) convened health care leaders in Williston to discuss the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts on small and independent health care providers and businesses in Vermont, many of which are already struggling to provide care to seniors in rural communities. Senator Welch recently introduced the bipartisan Physician Fee Stabilization Act, which updates a Medicare budget threshold last adjusted in 1992 that is triggering harmful cuts to provider payments. This change will ensure rural care providers are fairly reimbursed by the government for the care they provide to seniors.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Art Council announces the 22 recipients of its most competitive grant funding program, the Creation Grant, which supports Vermont artists in creating new work. Among this year’s winning proposals are works that span visual arts, literary arts, music, film, and multidisciplinary fields, including a Vermont-set rock opera; a podcast exploring themes of religion and belief; and a multi-disciplinary sculptural installation exploring our relationship with technology. More than 200 applications were received for the award, with a total of more than $1 million requested in funding. The program was able to support 11% of the requested need. Grants are awarded to Vermont artists or artist groups in amounts up to $5,000.

Vermont Business Magazine Over 300 Porter Medical Center (PMC) support staff, licensed practical nurses, and technical professionals ratified their first union contract late Saturday night, voting to accept a tentative agreement reached the week before between management and the union’s bargaining team. Earlier this year, the healthcare workers voted to form a union, joining their registered nurse (RN) colleagues at PMC who first organized in 2013. Contract negotiations with management have been ongoing since June. The new union members will join the RNs as members of Porter Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, an affiliate of AFT Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Community Health based in Rutland is a recipient of the Health Center Quality Leader Gold Award, ranking among the top 10% of the Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) nationally. The federal Community Health Center Program, under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), recognizes quality care each year, ranking Community Health at the highest level as a Gold Health Center Quality Leader and awarding additional badges for Health Information Technology (HIT) and Addressing Social Risk Factors.

Vermont Business Magazine Ahead of next week’s hearing, which will focus on the outrageously high prices that Novo Nordisk charges Americans for their blockbuster drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), announced today that more than 250 clinicians from across the country are asking Congress to rein in exorbitant prices for novel diabetes and obesity treatments. Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen will testify about the high cost of Ozempic and Wegovy at an upcoming HELP Committee hearing on September 24th.

Vermont Business Magazine Gifford Health Care recently recognized four employees with awards that celebrate and honor not only excellence in clinical care but also compassion. Gifford encompasses and expands on the principles of the national DAISY nursing award program for its Employee Recognition Awards ceremony, held twice a year, most recently on Aug. 22. Over the previous six months, the Selection Committee received 48 nominations from across the organization for four awards: the DAISY Award, recognizing exceptional nurses; two BEE—Be Exceptional Everyday—Awards, one clinical and one non-clinical; and a HIVE Award (Healthcare providers Impacting the lives of Vulnerable people Every day), awarded to physicians and advanced practice providers.

Vermont Business Magazine Northwestern Medical Center (NMC) welcomes seven new nurse apprentices into their pre-requisites at Community College of Vermont (CCV), marking the second of three nursing cohorts funded by a grant from the Agency of Human Services. This fall 13 current employees from various departments of NMC, are embarking on a three-year educational pathway to registered nursing. Upon completion and licensure, they have committed to work at the hospital for three years as an RN.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) is committed to empowering all older adults in central Vermont to reduce their risk of falls, which are one of the greatest causes of serious injuries and death among people over age 65. Fourteen million, or 1 in 4, Americans age 65+ fall each year. On September 23-27, 2024, Central Vermont Council on Aging is partnering with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to mark Falls Prevention Awareness Week. Many people think falls are a normal part of aging. The truth is, they’re not. Most falls can be prevented – and you have the power to reduce your risk.