News

VTDigger For many observers, Rep. Mike Fisher’s defeat in the Addison 4 district came as a surprise, and as a rebuke of Vermont’s push for single-payer health care. Fisher, an eight-term incumbent Democrat, serves as Chair of the House Health Care Committee, and helped to craft Act 48, the legislation putting Vermont on a path […]

VTDigger Anne Galloway John Mattison and Valerie Mullin, Republican candidates for the House, sent out a last-minute mailing to voters this weekend that accuses Democrats of attempting to “take over your Medicare.” The mailing is targeted at Democratic Reps. Herb Russell, Dave Sharpe and Mike Fisher. Mattison is vying with Russell for a Rutland City […]

VTDigger Morgan True With two weeks before the Vermont Health Connect web portal is due to go back online, state officials insist users will enjoy a smooth open enrollment period. But internal documents provided to VTDigger show that while new registrants — who are expected to number about 8,000 — may have an improved experience, […]

Vermont Public RadioBob Kinzel In the final weeks of the campaign, the future of Medicare benefits for Vermont seniors has become a hotly debated issue in the race for governor. It’s an explosive subject because candidates who suggest changes to Medicare risk losing the support of many voters over 65. So how did Medicare become […]

WCAXBy Shelby Cashman BURLINGTON, Vt. –Vermont schools could save millions of dollars in health care costs according to a new report released Tuesday. The study was ordered by the Vermont School Boards Association and it documents the enormous cost of providing health care to teachers and staff at the state’s K-12 schools. It shows what […]

VTDiggerAnne Galloway Two recent stories about the relationship between Medicare and Green Mountain Care, the state’s planned universal publicly financed health care program – often called single-payer – were inaccurate. The stories were based on statutes on the Legislature’s website that had not been updated. The online statutes do not reflect the latest changes made […]

VTDigger Anne Galloway Taxpayers and school districts could save tens of millions of dollars if school staff were insured on the Vermont health care exchange or through a single payer system, according to a new report. Districts could see a $39 million statewide drop in health care premium costs if school districts offered gold level […]

Rutland Herald By Neal P. GoswamiVermont Press Burea MONTPELIER — Gov. Peter Shumlin is adamant that his plan for a universal, publicly financed health care system is on track to move forward in the coming legislative session. But as the months have ticked by without a financing plan from the governor, some key stakeholders and […]

NOTE: Although this news story is not about Vermont, it also helps to show one of the consistent problems with private insurance plans.  Many people have high deductible plans and have to pay so much money before the plan actually kicks in that costs are still a barrier to care, and many people delay or […]

Burlington Free Press Gov. Peter Shumlin has appointed a Middlebury College economics professor to fill a vacancy on the Green Mountain Care Board. Jessica Holmes replaces Karen Hein, who didn’t seek a re-appointment when her term ended. Holmes will serve a six-year term. “Jessica has extensive academic and professional experience in health care economics,” Shumlin […]