Current News

by Mike Del Trecco, CEO, VAHHS As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, here in this column and through my public comment to the GMCB, Vermont’s non-profit hospitals evaluate policies and ideas through the lens of the following principles: equitable access to high-quality care; stabilization for hospitals; promotion of a strong care ecosystem outside the hospital, and predictability. We do this to ensure that positions we take always center our patients and promote vibrant communities. We also do this to protect against decisions that are politically or socially motivated and offer only short-term return with long-term consequences.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), announced today that Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen will be testifying before the committee on Tuesday, September 24 at 10 a.m. ET. The hearing will focus on the outrageously high prices that Novo Nordisk charges Americans for their blockbuster drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy.  

Vermont Business Magazine Postpartum Support International (PSI), and local providers Community Care Network, Vermont Department of Health, Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, Rutland County Head Start and the Behavioral Health and Women’s Health Departments of Rutland Regional Medical Center, are teaming up to host the annual Rutland Climb for Perinatal Mental Health on Saturday, June 29, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Pittsford Recreation Area in Pittsford. This event aims to raise awareness and funds to support the mental health of new families and survivors of perinatal mental health struggles. Parenthood is a journey filled with joys and challenges, but for some, the transition to parenthood can be overwhelming, leading to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In Vermont, these disorders affect 1 in 4 parents, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and support.

Vermont Business Magazine UVM Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center has added metal detectors at its Emergency Department (ED) entrance and launched a clear bag policy for all visitors entering the Emergency Department as it continues to invest in a top priority – the safety and security of staff and patients and an environment that allows for the delivery of high-quality care. The security upgrades are being implemented to address ongoing safety concerns, and a well-documented, nationwide increase in violence against health care workers. In recent years, security officers at CVMC have confiscated knives, firearms, pepper spray and other items inappropriate for a health care setting.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending June 19, the Vermont Department of Health reported that there was one COVID-19 related death last week, for 1,156 since the beginning of the pandemic over four years ago. The weekly report also shows that hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases remain very low, just under five people are being treated at a Vermont hospital each week, which has been the case since late March. The number of COVID cases is unchanged from last week at 51. 

Vermont Business Magazine After three months of intense focus, camaraderie and both virtual and in-person learning, The DeltaClimeVT Energy 2024 climate economy business accelerator announces Rock Rabbit as the peer-selected winner. Among other awardees was ElecGrid, which is a startup based in Newport, Vermont, that is helping electric utilities to more efficiently manage resources in their day-to-day field maintenance of infrastructure and when responding to disasters that impact the electrical grid. Fifteen entrepreneurs from eight start-ups focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling the acceleration of electrification graduated from the DeltaClimeVT Energy 2024 climate economy business accelerator during an awards ceremony June 13. At the event, each company presented their final pitch and shared their plans to scale their start-up companies. 

Vermont Business Magazine State Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced today that Vermont’s credit ratings were affirmed by the major credit rating agencies, S&P Global Ratings (AA+), Fitch Ratings (AA+), and Moody’s (Aa1). Leveraging this fiscal strength, Pieciak and his office successfully refinanced outstanding higher-interest bonds, resulting in savings of approximately $3.7 million. The ratings reaffirmed that Vermont’s financial outlook is stable, as the state earned the second highest ratings that an entity can receive. The ratings will ensure that borrowing costs for state projects remain modest, reducing costs to Vermont taxpayers. After receiving the updated credit ratings, the state issued two sets of bonds, including over $70 million of Series A bonds which generated over $77 million for new capital projects. Over $36 million of Series B bonds were also issued to refinance bonds from 2014. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Human Services (AHS) announced today the appointment of Brendan Krause as the new Director of Health Care Reform. Krause brings a wealth of experience in health systems and policy, with a distinguished career spanning government roles and health technology. Most recently, Brendan served as Head of International for Health at Uber, where he worked directly with global health systems to eliminate transportation barriers to health care access. Prior to his role at Uber, he spent 12 years at Optum, collaborating with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service to enhance population health management. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) on May 13 awarded Northwest Vermont Communications Union District d/b/a Northwest Fiberworx (NWFX) a $20.2 million ARPA grant that will allow the Franklin/Grand Isle County company to begin building out a fiber internet network. Northwest Fiberworx is a nonprofit special purpose municipality that has 22 member towns as part of its communications union district that will benefit from this build. The communities in Franklin & Grand Isle Counties of Vermont that NWFX represents are, Alburgh, Bakersfield, Berkshire, Enosburgh, Fairfield, Franklin, Fairfax, Georgia, Grand Isle, Highgate, Isle la Motte, Milton, Montgomery, North Hero, Richford, Saint Albans Town, Sheldon, South Hero, Swanton, Village of Alburgh, Village of Enosburg Falls and Village of Swanton. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.39 per gallon, down 6.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.45/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.19/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of 60.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.3 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.41/g today.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Interest in growing specialty mushrooms, such as oyster, shiitake, and lion’s mane, is on the rise. With this increasing popularity, there also comes a need for resources on how to maintain crop quality while minimizing food safety risks. A recent article from the Vermont Produce Program shares information and resources related to produce safety for all mushroom growers. Specialty mushroom growers should be aware that while they don’t require a license from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets to begin growing, mushroom operations are considered “produce farms” that may need to comply with federal food safety standards called the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund filed a legal petition today asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve public transparency and oversight over the inspection and regulation of slaughterhouses and egg-processing operations. The petitioners are represented in this matter by Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA, the agency tasked with inspecting and regulating several aspects of meat, poultry and egg processing operations at approximately 800 federally inspected livestock slaughterhouses across the United States, has long been shielded from the public disclosure and environmental review requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The petition seeks to remove that exemption and properly require the agency to analyze the environmental impacts of its decisions related to its oversight of these operations.