Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 16, 2025

S 10: An act relating to modifying requirements for obtaining a certificate of need

This bill (S 10) raises cost thresholds for health care facilities to require a "certificate of need" from Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board. It increases the capital expenditure threshold for non-hospital facilities from $1.5 million to $5 million and for hospitals from $3 million to $10 million. The bill also eliminates certificate requirements for routine equipment replacements (like fully depreciated medical equipment) and certain lower-cost projects, while adding a new $100 million threshold for conceptual development phase approvals. These changes directly affect hospitals and non-hospital health care facilities planning new services, construction, or equipment purchases.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReduces regulatory barriers for healthcare facilities by raising cost thresholds and eliminating unnecessary certifications, improving operational flexibility and access to services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 23, 2025

H 75: An act relating to clinician participation in patient choice at end of life and DNR/COLST orders

H 75 would expand which healthcare providers can participate in Vermont's end-of-life care processes. Specifically, it would authorize naturopathic physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to engage in patient choice discussions and issue DNR (do-not-resuscitate) and COLST (clinician orders for life-sustaining treatment) orders - currently limited to physicians under Vermont law. The bill amends definitions in Vermont's Patient Choice at End of Life chapter to include these provider types under the term "clinician." This change would directly affect patients seeking end-of-life care planning and these healthcare professionals who currently cannot sign such orders. The bill is currently pending before the Committee on Health Care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands provider roles (nurse practitioners, PAs, naturopaths) for end-of-life care access, enhancing patient choice and service availability per Vermont law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

Track

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 323: An act relating to mental health programming funded by the Mental Health Innovation Special Fund

H 323 proposes creating the Mental Health Innovation Special Fund, financed through voluntary tax checkoffs on state income returns. The fund would support three main programs: mandatory school mental health screenings for students, a peer-to-peer mental health support pilot in schools, and a statewide mental health and substance misuse literacy curriculum for students. It directs the Department of Health and Education to develop and implement these initiatives, with grant funding available for innovative mental health and substance misuse treatment programs targeting youth and workforce development. The bill establishes mechanisms for public contributions via tax forms and annual reporting requirements for fund usage, directly affecting Vermont students, schools, and mental health care providers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates Mental Health Innovation Special Fund via voluntary tax checkoffs to fund school mental health programs, directly advancing tax-based public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds mandatory school mental health screenings, peer support pilot, and literacy curriculum - directly enhancing student mental health programs within K-12 education95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds mental health initiatives via new Special Fund for school screenings, peer support, and literacy curriculum, directly advancing mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Mental Health

Track

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 293: An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the Department of Health’s reporting and programming requirements

H 293 changes Vermont's health equity reporting requirements by reducing the frequency of Department of Health reports from annual to every three years starting in 2028. It also updates disclosure rules for cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) registries, requiring written confidentiality agreements before sharing identifiable health data with researchers or other registries. The bill ensures that any shared data must be minimized to what's necessary for research, while maintaining privacy protections under state and federal law. These changes take effect July 1, 2025, and directly affect the Department of Health, healthcare researchers, and state registries managing cancer and ALS patient data.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires confidentiality agreements and data minimization for health registries, protecting patient privacy in research data sharing.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires confidentiality agreements and data minimization for health registries, strengthening privacy protections for health data sharing.85% confidence

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 17, 2025

H 40: An act relating to licensure of freestanding birth centers

House Bill 40 establishes a licensing system for freestanding birth centers in Vermont, removing the requirement for them to obtain state approval (certificate of need) before opening. It mandates that health insurance plans and Medicaid cover prenatal, maternity, birthing, postpartum, and newborn care services provided at licensed birth centers. Birth centers must meet state safety and operational standards and pay a $250 licensing fee to operate. This aims to expand access to birth center options, which have demonstrated improved health outcomes and lower costs for mothers and babies compared to hospital births.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance/Medicaid coverage for birth center services, removes certificate of need barriers, and requires licensing standards to expand access to prenatal/maternity care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 227: An act relating to establishing a residential peer respite facility in southern Vermont

H 227 creates a two-bed residential peer respite facility in southern Vermont to provide short-term support for people experiencing mental health crises, avoiding hospitalization. The facility will offer two types of stays: one bed for up to four weeks and another for up to two weeks, operated by a provider selected through a state contract. The bill appropriates $515,000 for fiscal year 2026 to fund this facility, requiring the Department of Mental Health to contract with an eligible provider by January 1, 2026. It aims to expand access to peer-supported care in southern Vermont, reducing reliance on emergency hospital settings for crisis care. The facility will become operational on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $515,000 for a mental health respite facility, directly funding an essential public service per state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds a mental health respite facility to improve crisis access, avoiding hospitalization through $515,000 appropriation for short-term peer support services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health

Track

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 320: An act relating to stabilizing Vermont’s rural hospitals

H.320 aims to stabilize Vermont's rural hospitals by delaying certain financial changes until July 2026 while advancing other recommendations. The bill blocks the Green Mountain Care Board from implementing policies that limit hospital subsidies, restrict outpatient units, or standardize accounting methods before 2026, but requires them to simplify licensing and support freestanding clinics. It mandates the Board to collect hospital data to create stabilization plans by March 2026, directs health insurers to expand coverage options on Vermont's health exchange, and tasks medical education programs with placing trainees in rural hospitals using scholarship programs. These provisions directly affect rural hospitals, the Green Mountain Care Board, health insurers, and medical training programs across Vermont.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBlocks restrictions on hospital subsidies, preventing funding cuts; maintains current budget allocations for rural hospitals through 2026.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBlocks limits on hospital subsidies/outpatient units, mandates data-driven stabilization plans, and supports freestanding clinics to protect rural healthcare access and prevent funding restrictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 25, 2025

S 132: An act relating to annual reporting on health care sharing plans and arrangements

S 132 requires health care sharing plans operating in Vermont without insurance authorization to submit detailed annual reports to the Commissioner of Financial Regulation starting October 2025. These reports must include participant numbers (individuals, households, employers), financial data (fees collected, reimbursements processed), provider contracts, marketing materials, and third-party relationships. The Commissioner will summarize this information and post it publicly each year. This directly affects non-insurance health sharing organizations serving Vermont residents. The bill creates a transparency mechanism for oversight, not new coverage rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires public reporting of health care sharing plans' financials and operations, increasing transparency to protect consumer rights and inform healthcare choices.85% confidence

Track

signed · Vermont · Senate Jun 13, 2025

S 53: An act relating to certification of community-based perinatal doulas and Medicaid coverage for doula services

This bill (S.53) expands Vermont Medicaid coverage to include community-based perinatal doula services. It requires the Department of Vermont Health Access to seek federal approval for this coverage by July 1, 2026, with coverage becoming effective on that date or after federal approval, whichever comes later (per 33 V.S.A. § 1901n). The law directly affects Vermont Medicaid recipients seeking perinatal doula care and the doulas providing these services. The policy change mandates Medicaid reimbursement for doula services following the state’s federal approval process.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid coverage to include perinatal doula services, increasing access to healthcare support during childbirth and aligning with healthcare funding/access indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 64: An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

This Vermont bill (S 64) creates a new "advanced therapeutic procedures specialty" for optometrists, allowing them to perform specific eye treatments currently restricted to ophthalmologists. It permits optometrists with this specialty to conduct procedures like removing superficial eye foreign bodies, minor lesion excisions (e.g., chalazia), corneal crosslinking, certain laser treatments (capsulotomy, iridotomy), and targeted injections (e.g., for chalazia or subconjunctival therapy). The bill explicitly prohibits optometrists from performing complex surgeries such as LASIK, corneal transplants, retinal procedures, or injections into the vitreous chamber. This directly affects licensed optometrists in Vermont who pursue the specialty and expands patient access to certain eye care services within defined boundaries.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands optometrist scope to perform advanced eye procedures, increasing patient access to care without ophthalmologist referral95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing