Devon Green, VP of Government Relations, VAHHS
Welcome to Mud Season! This time in the legislature can feel just like driving down a back road—some bills stay right in the tracks and some are veering every which way. Here’s what happened last week:
Budget Adjustment Act: On Friday afternoon, the governor vetoed H.489, the second version of the Budget Adjustment Act. The Secretary of Administration and Secretary of Human Services testified to the House Appropriations Committee that they could cover their fiscal obligations by the end of FY 2025, but would need appropriated funding through a new Budget Adjustment Bill or through the FY 2026 Budget.
Certificate of Need: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard testimony on H.96, the Certificate of Need bill. VAHHS supported the bill and proposed an exemption for state-funded projects as well as a requirement that the Green Mountain Care Board apply an inflationary factor to the jurisdictional thresholds.
Birth Centers: The House Health Care Committee advanced S.18, the independent birth center licensure bill. In addition to provisions around licensure and exemption from the Certificate of Need process, the bill includes specifics around the transfer process for rule-making. The committee declined to consider increased Medicaid reimbursement rates to help make birthing services more sustainable for all providers.
Workplace Violence Prevention: VAHHS testified in favor of H.259, which requires hospitals to set up a reporting system for workplace violence and implement security plans and training to address workplace violence with input from direct-care providers. VAHHS appreciates the efforts of the Vermont Professional Nursing and Nurse Practitioner Organizations Coalition on this initiative.
Medical Debt Relief: The House Health Care Committee advanced S.27, the medical debt relief bill, with VAHHS support. The bill would make it possible for a non-profit entity to buy debt from health care organizations and eliminate the debt. Participation by health care organizations is voluntary. The bill will go to the House Appropriations Committee.
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