Vermont Business Magazine Phil Scott, Republican candidate for gvernor, toured Springfield Hospital Tuesday and presented his healthcare reform priorities to a group of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center employees as part of the hospital’s Health Policy Grand Rounds series. Scott told the group of healthcare professionals and administrators that he’s running for Governor to strengthen the economy, make Vermont more affordable and to restore faith and trust in state government, explaining that getting healthcare reform back on track is central to these goals.
“Frankly, I’m the only candidate in this race who knows what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck while raising a family and growing a business in Vermont. I believe it’s essential that Vermont restore its economic foundation so families can be more secure and we can afford to make the investments we need to make,” Scott told the assembled healthcare providers. “I recently presented a detailed blueprint of my priorities which outlines how I will approach this very challenging task. A core element to this plan is a detailed approach for putting healthcare reform back on track, and working toward our goal of providing affordable and accessible care for every Vermonter.”
Scott said making progress requires setting aside ideological crusades and “working together to craft a system that is more efficient, innovative and can care for everyone.”
Among other proposals, Scott’s plan includes moving to a functional health insurance exchange with more affordable options, while preserving subsidies; getting Medicaid and long-term care costs under control; enforcing full price transparency; and changing federal laws to allow Vermonters to purchase insurance across state lines.
“We also need to acknowledge the reality that bending the cost curve is going to require a relentless focus on improving the overall health of the population. And that’s going to take time,” Scott noted. “Yes, government has an important role to play and payment reform will help. It also means accepting that we need to make healthier choices and continue to reduce, and better manage, preventable, chronic and expensive diseases like diabetes and heart disease.”
Scott urged attendees to read his full plan at www.PhilScott.org
Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Health Policy Grand Rounds program is modeled after Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s clinical grand rounds, to offer an educational forum for staff on current health care and health policy issues.
Source: Springfield, VT & Lebanon, NH – Scott Campaign 9.27.2016