Editorials

VTDigger This commentary is by: Rebecca Bell, MD, president of the Vermont Medical Society; Breena Holmes, MD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics VT Chapter; Anne Morris, MD, president of the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians; Priscilla Carr, MD, governor of the American College of Physicians VT Chapter As primary care clinicians and physician […]

VTDigger This commentary is by Ethan Parke of Montpelier, a board member of Vermont Health Care for All. Don’t tell me that Vermont is addressing the affordability of health care. It’s not. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s table of average marketplace premiums by metal tier, Vermont is by far the most expensive state in […]

Vermont Standard Leading up to the elections, I’ve become increasingly frustrated there hasn’t been a spirited discussion on any number of important issues. Forget for a moment the foolishness happening on the top of the tickets in November, and instead let’s revisit some of those challenges we face as a state and a nation. I […]

VTDigger On August 12, the Green Mountain Care Board approved a 19.8% increase for BlueCross BlueShield premiums on Vermont Health Connect individual plans, along with a 22.8% increase for small group plans. This is the third year in a row with double-digit rate increases. As a longtime member of the Vermont Workers’ Center, I’ve been […]

iBrattleboro The alarm is being sounded. Vermont’s health care system is in crisis and if we don’t take serious measures to change things the non-system we have will become financially unsustainable by 2030. According to a recent article in The Commons, “Dr. Bruce Hamory and his team were hired by the Green Mountain Care Board […]

VTDigger This commentary is by Lee Russ of Bennington, a retired legal editor who was lead editor and author of the third edition of “Couch on Insurance” and the “Attorneys Medical Advisor.” Vermont is currently conducting a public debate about the financial health of the state’s hospitals. That’s a crucial question. Just as crucial is […]

The Bridge By Marvin Malek I recently had hand surgery at CVMC. The surgery took place during one of the final negotiating sessions between CVMC’s management and the newly established nurses’ union. When I asked about it, I sensed both pride and apprehension about how the final few negotiations would go. But the nurses redirected the […]

VTDigger This commentary is by Marvin Malek, MD MPH. He is an internist from Berlin. He is an active member of the Vermont Medical Society and Vermont Physicians for a National Health Program. The Legislature should pass H.766, the bill now being considered by the Vermont Senate that takes some first steps reining in the […]

Brattleboro Reformer The state’s latest health care reform efforts, once again, do not appear to address the most urgent problems Vermonters now face – access and affordability. Rather, they represent a doubling down on the failed approaches of the past eight years. It is critical that legislators block these efforts until clear descriptions and measurable […]

Manchester Journal By Karen Saunders “I’m a single mom who just got kicked off of Medicaid. There is no way I can afford a plan on the exchange.” “Having Medicaid took the load off the many challenges living with chronic illness comes with. I lost Medicaid, and the financial burden is now back on me.” […]