Tweets comparing U.S. and Canadian health care during pandemic strike nerve

  CTV News Solarina Ho CTVNews.ca Writer TORONTO — As countries around the world battle COVID-19 in different ways, political leaders, health officials and the public are witnessing how the pandemic is exposing major issues within their respective health-care systems. One former U.S. insurance executive’s tweets — which accused the insurance industry of spending “big” money […]

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Petition asks Rutland hospital to require implicit bias training, fly BLM flag

  VTDigger By Emma Cotton RUTLAND — A petition signed by 39 employees at Rutland Regional Medical Center, submitted Wednesday, asks hospital leadership to improve education and increase awareness among staff and administrators about issues of racial justice. Employees requested that the hospital’s leadership, including Claudio Fort, CEO, and Mike Solimano, chair of the board […]

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New data shows Covid-19 racial disparities in Vermont

  VTDigger By Grace Elletson Racial justice advocates are calling for more support for people of color in Vermont after new data revealed that black and Hispanic people are testing positive for Covid-19 at a disproportionately high rate. Black Vermonters are testing positive for Covid-19 at the highest rate in the state of any racial […]

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Vermonters seek COVID-19 tests — and can’t get them

VTDigger By Katie Jickling The fever hit 57-year-old Kathy Warren on Monday at 5 p.m. It came suddenly, accompanied by head-to-toe body aches and a rasping bronchitis. When her husband, David Warren, fell sick with similar symptoms the next day, she called a doctor. Nurses at the Plainfield Health Center ruled out the flu and pneumonia […]

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‘Rally for Medicaid’ takes aim at OneCare Vermont

  WCAX   BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) Recipients and supporters of Medicaid protested the privatization of Vermont’s health care system on Saturday afternoon. The “Rally for Medicaid” demonstrations took place at the UVM Medical Center in Burlington and on the Dartmouth Green in Hanover, New Hampshire. They were hosted by Vermont Workers’ Center. The group of protesters […]

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As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Rise, Insured Adults Are Seeking Less Primary Care

  NPR   By Elena Renken Efforts across the U.S. in recent years to encourage medical students, nurse practitioners and others to go into primary care, especially in underserved areas, are built on a consensus in research: Primary care is good for patients. “It’s the foundation of the health care system,” says Dr. Ishani Ganguli, Harvard assistant […]

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Is UVM Health Network consolidation raising health care prices?

VTDigger By Katie Jickling When Dr. Paul Reiss refers his patients for an MRI, the easiest option for the Williston doctor would be to send them to the University of Vermont Medical Center 15 minutes away. Instead, he’s referring them out of state. Cheaper prices are worth the drive, Reiss explained. He often sends his […]

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OneCare failed to track community health programs, auditor says

VTDigger By Katie Jickling The state’s accountable care organization produced no evidence of results from some of the community health programs it invested in, according to an analysis from the state auditor’s office. OneCare Vermont “did not reliably monitor or accurately report” the community-based initiatives it promised to fund, including providing fresh produce to patients, […]

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Q&A: Ex-health insurance exec Wendell Potter now fights for single-payer

VTDigger By Mark Johnson Wendell Potter has been fighting for structural health care reform after fighting against it — from the inside. In 2008, he left his position as the head of communications for Cigna. The whistleblower has exposed the abuses he saw and participated in while working in the health insurance industry for more […]

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Proponents renew push for universal primary care

VTDigger By Mike Faher Advocates for a publicly financed, universal system of primary health care are trying again to advance the initiative after it stalled in the state Legislature last year. H.129, which was introduced last week, calls for a universal primary care system to be in place by 2023. Many questions remain, including how […]

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