Jeff Wennberg complains that Vermont’s implementation of H.559 limits insurance to those who meet the criteria and are listed on the Vermont exchange (Free Press, May 8). He conveniently ignores the fact that health coverage within the exchange must meet
minimum standards for each of the coverage levels, Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc. This means that the insurance companies must provide standard, well-defined coverage and compete on cost. This is good for the Vermont consumer. All the insurance companies competing on a level field. No games in the fine print.
Mr. Wennberg does not like this. He wants insurance outside the exchange — i.e. outside the rules — so companies can sell whatever policies they want. Buyer beware! More profit and less risk for the insurance company! He seems to favor insurance companies over Vermonters.
Remember the exchanges have been designed to provide health insurance to all Americans. Many, many Americans and the small businesses they work for can no longer afford the prices that private insurance companies demand. He claims these federal funds are to replace the employer’s contributions. Wrong. Again, these are subsidies to buy insurance for Americans, many who have had no
insurance and do not have the means to pay for it on their own.
He goes on to claim the money will be “clawed” into state treasuries. Wrong. He seems to ignore that the federal credits and subsidies as part of the exchange are direct payments to private insurance companies for coverage provided to low and middle-income families. It pays insurance companies, not the state treasury.
While the rest of the country continues with the costs and complexities of private insurance companies within the exchange, in 2017 Vermont plans to take advantage of further efficiencies of self-insurance/single pipeline design of Green Mountain Care. This much more cost-effective plan will give Vermonters better
coverage and correct the extreme disconnect of cost shifting that has hurt the hospitals and other health care providers. Vermont will be asking for waivers to redirect the federal funds from the exchanges to the administrator of Green Mountain Care. It will not go in Vermont’s General Fund!
We cannot follow Mr. Wennberg’s money. He refuses to tell us who is paying him, funding his front organization “Vermonters for Health Care Freedom.” His positions, at their root, behind the spin always seem to favor the insurance industry establishment. Is that where following his money will lead?
Bob Zeliff lives in Bridport.