by Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, Vermont Association of Hospitals & Health systems
While it may be tempting to think that the State House goes into a state of suspended animation during the off-season, only to come alive at the sound of the gavel’s fall in January, there’s a lot of work that goes on with its inhabitants from May to December. Just as legislators are never truly “off the clock,” VAHHS also works with health care providers, community members, businesses, and policy experts to brainstorm solutions and develop a robust legislative agenda.
This off-session, in addition to our typical work, we helped manage an IV fluid shortage, worked to discern more on the AHEAD model, and attended community meetings on the Green Mountain Care Board’s Act 167 report produced by Oliver Wyman.
During that time, we heard loudly and clearly that affordability and access in health care are top concerns for all Vermonters. Our nonprofit hospitals are working every day to better care for their communities and have already initiated:
- Shared health care workforce between hospitals
- Regional collaborations to better coordinate care and buying power
- Health care workforce schooling and training in partnership with Vermont colleges to reduce dependency on travelers
- $2.7B in reduced expenses compared to pre-GMCB trajectory
- Eliminated unnecessary and costly care by focusing on disease prevention and wellness
However, we know that there’s more to be done. Whether it’s through EMR interoperability, care at home through EMS, coordinating within the hospital infrastructure for right care at the right place at the right time, or developing flexible staffing options for health care workers, Vermont’s hospitals are continuing to evolve, and are focused on increasing affordability and access for Vermonters.
We look forward to talking about our work more with the legislature and partnering on housing, transportation, and ways to strengthen our health care infrastructure beyond hospitals.
With that, let’s take a look at what happened in the building last week:
In his inaugural address, Gov. Phil Scott focused his message on affordability, primarily in housing and education.
For leadership of each chamber, the House awarded the speakership to Rep. Jill Krowinski in a vote of 111-35 after a challenge from Rep. Laura Sibilia. On the Senate side, Sen. Phil Baruth was handily re-elected as President Pro Tem.
With a new session comes new members and a shake up in committees. You can find the members of the new health care committees on the left side of the following webpages:
VAHHS | 148 Main St | Montpelier, VT 05602 US
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