Welcome to Vermont Health Policy Monitor

This site is an online resource for Vermont health care providers, patients and patient advocates. Created by the Vermont Health Advocacy Network, this website will provide a forum for the exchange of information about health policy issues. We encourage you to visit this site often to follow the latest health policy developments and to share your concerns on matters affecting patient access to health care.

On Tuesday, February 8, Gov. Peter Shumlin, began to fulfill a campaign promise to reform health care by introducing a bill that would essentially eliminate private health insurance by catalyzing the movement of Vermonters into a publicly-funded insurance plan. The plan is designed to address what Governor Shumlin describes as runaway health costs that are “unsustainable.”

Under Shumlin’s proposal all Vermont citizens would receive state–sponsored health benefits regardless of their income level or whether or not they are employed. In addition, the proposal would establish a state-wide formulary by October 1, 2011.

The details of how the "single-payer" system will be paid for have not yet been addressed. The Vermont Health Advocacy Network has many concerns about the Governor’s plan and will closely monitor the debate as more details unfold. In addition to following Governor Shumlin’s single-payer bill, the Vermont Health Advocacy Network will be addressing other legislative priorities in the coming session, including protecting patient access to medicine and seeking the repeal of the reporting requirements for prescription coupons.