Editorials and Op-Eds
And now, for the payment plan ...
May 13, 2012
Rutland HeraldNow the really hard work begins.The health care exchange legislation just passed was a small precursor to the next item of business in health care reform, scheduled for the 2013 session: financing of Green Mountain Care single-payer health care. Chief among the challenges will be how to pay for a universal coverage plan without overburdening small businesses. An employer payroll tax is often cited as a financing source because it would replace the $1.35 billion Vermont employers al...
Trying to Follow the Money
May 10, 2012
Times ArgusBy Dr. Marvin MalekI was surprised to read that Jeff Wennberg, executive director of Vermonters for Health Care Freedom, is encouraging readers to follow the money (April 29).The money Wennberg is referring to is federal money potentially available to Vermont to support the reform effort. He points out that the legislature’s actions have worked to maximize this federal support. Last time I checked most every state government tries to maximize federal support for health care, dis...
An important next step in health care reform
May 07, 2012
VTDiggerEditor’s note: This op-ed is by Robin Lunge, Vermont’s director of Health Care Reform.The Vermont House and Senate should be applauded for putting Vermonters first by passing H.559, the health insurance reform and exchange bill.Legislators voting in favor of the bill recognized the needs of Vermonters by ensuring that under the insurance coverage system of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), effective Jan. 1, 2014, Vermont small employers and individuals will truly have the opport...
Slowing cost growth a worthy goal
April 29, 2012
Rutland HeraldIt’s an election year in an era of divisive politics, so the campaign-style attacks on Vermont’s health care reform efforts probably shouldn’t be surprising. And from what we’ve seen on the national political stage, we know that campaign ads don’t have to make sense.Still, why would anyone want to convince Vermonters there was something wrong with bending the curve on health care costs — that is, reducing the long-term growth rate? Recent radio a...
Health Care Myths Get in Way of Solution
April 28, 2012
Burlington Free PressIn the April 12 “My Turn” in the Burlington Free Press, Bruce Lisman writes “Is health care reform important? Of course it is. Yet politicians in Montpelier are ‘rocketing’ us to a new system without showing us the cost.”Really?Mr. Lisman is apparently ignorant of, or is ignoring, four official studies commissioned by the state on health care costs since 2001. These include the Lewin report in 2001; the Thorpe report in 2006; the Hsiao rep...
Health insurance is not health care
April 19, 2012
The Valley ReporterNorthLand Design & Construction Inc. has been providing health insurance and a living wage since we started in 1978. NorthLand, like all businesses, has to manage its production costs. We have to meet our clients’ budgets and deadlines. To survive, all businesses have to be able to control costs.Our health insurance costs are out of control. In 9 of the last 15 years, our health insurance costs have increased by double digits, with multiple years at 22 percent and 30...
Indiana health care plan deeply flawed
April 09, 2012
VTDigger Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Peter Sterling, the executive director of the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security [1]. Just last week Jeff Wennberg and his organization Vermonters for Health Care Freedom finally offered the public a look at what opponents of universal health care believe can solve Vermont’s health care crisis (WCAX’s “You Can Quote Me,” April 1, and Burlington Free Press, April 2). I’ll set aside detailing the factual errors ...
Conservative shadow organization misinforms and fails to offer solutions
April 03, 2012
VTDigger Vermont Democratic Party Press Release Jesse Bragg Recently, the conservative anti-health care reform group, “Vermonters for Health Care Freedom”, underwent a change of leadership when its Director, Republican operative Darcy Johnson, came clean and decided to dedicate her efforts overtly to Republican Randy Brock’s bid to become Governor of Vermont. Taking Ms. Johnson’s place is Jeff Wennberg. Unfortunately, rather than taking the opportunity to change dire...
Stand Firm for Health Care Reform
March 30, 2012
VTDigger Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Kelly Cummings of Fletcher, who is a member of the Vermont Workers Center’s Healthcare is a Human Right Campaign. OK, folks, here we go! Health care has made it to the big show. The United States Supreme Court. The fear mongering is really going to ratchet up, so look out! I cannot implore you enough to stand firm. As Bruce Springsteen says in his new song, “Wrecking Ball,” “Hold tight to your anger. Don’t fall to ...
Health Information Technology is a Tower of Babel By Intent
March 29, 2012
VTDigger Editor’s note: Marvin Malek, MD, is a physician who practices internal medicine at Central Vermont Hospital. On Feb. 12, 2002, Fred Hernden, a retired Vietnam veteran, developed weakness and abdominal pain. He had recently moved to New Mexico from Woodstock, Vt. It was not by accident that the small home he bought was located near the Albuquerque Veterans Affairs Hospital. Within seconds of sitting down with Fred in the examining room at the VA, Dr. Steve Searles, Fred&rsquo...
Exchanges temporary and mandated, but single payer only real solution
March 28, 2012
Burlington Free Press There has been a lot of discussion about the health insurance exchange — about “bronze,” “silver” and “platinum” plans. Vermont is required by federal law to implement the exchange in 2014. How can Vermont’s legislature best configure the exchange? Many people are wondering what this all means for them. Let’s remember that the exchange is just about a format to purchase private insurance. It is not the same as the si...
Lies and Damn Lies
March 24, 2012
Brattleboro ReformerBy Richard DavisGUILFORD- In the coming months Vermonters will be subjected to lies and emotional tirades from those who oppose the direction in which health care reform is headed. Unfortunately, lies have become the accepted standard vehicle for political rhetoric in this country. The principle is that if you tell a lie long enough, people will eventually believe it.I would like to make a pre-emptive strike because it is pretty clear which lies will be presented. The best pl...
Reform takes on tough problems of health care
March 11, 2012
Rutland HeraldMisinformation about Vermont’s health care reform effort is proliferating. At the recent forum hosted by the Republican legislators for Caledonia County, Darcie Johnston, of Vermonters for Health Care Freedom, made three major points about Vermont’s health care reform that are just plain wrong.She claimed that it will: 1) severely limit freedom of choice, 2) increase the cost of health care, and 3) create a huge bureaucracy. I’ve practiced medicine in St. Johnsbur...
Vermonters should back health care plan for all
March 10, 2012
Burlington Free Press It is in the interest of every Vermonter to support the Vermont Legislature’s efforts to plan and implement a single-payer health care system. It is important to realize that as a single state among 50, we must comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted by Congress last year. Therefore, the most recent legislation passed out of the Vermont House of Representatives, H.559, is solely working to comply with the ACA’s mandated health care exchanges. The Ve...
Delivering A Misinformed Message On Health Care
March 09, 2012
Caledonian RecordMisinformation about Vermont's health care reform effort is proliferating. At the recent forum hosted by the Republican legislators for Caledonia County, Darcie Johnston, of Vermonters for Health Care Freedom, made three major points about Vermont's health care reform that are just plain wrong. She claimed that it will 1) severely limit freedom of choice; 2) increase the cost of health care; and 3) create a huge bureaucracy. I've practiced medicine in St. Johnsbury for 20 years ...
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