Healthcare (Hospitals)

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 14, 2026

S 249: An act relating to hospital collaboration and state action immunity

This bill allows Vermont hospitals and health systems to collaborate on specific health policy goals - such as reducing costs, improving care access, preserving rural hospitals, or advancing the state’s health strategic plan - while qualifying for legal protection from antitrust lawsuits. To qualify, collaborations must be approved by the Secretary of Human Services, who must confirm they align with state health goals and approve each initiative before implementation. The bill also permits participating hospitals to share cost, quality, and workforce data without violating antitrust laws. The Agency of Human Services will actively supervise these collaborations to ensure compliance with state policy.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables hospital collaboration to improve care access, reduce costs, preserve rural hospitals, and advance state health goals - directly aligning with healthcare improvement indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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introduced · Vermont · House Jan 20, 2026

H 719: An act relating to hospital collaboration and state action immunity

This bill (H.719) allows Vermont hospitals and health systems to collaborate on initiatives like cost containment, improving rural healthcare access, or advancing state health goals without facing antitrust lawsuits, provided they follow a state approval process. It directly affects rural and community hospitals, health systems, and the Agency of Human Services, which must review and approve all proposed collaborations. Key mechanisms include requiring Secretary of Human Services approval before discussions begin, mandating that initiatives align with state health policy, and permitting shared data on costs and quality during approved collaborations. The state agency will also monitor these partnerships through quarterly reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly enables hospital collaboration to improve rural healthcare access, a core healthcare access goal, without antitrust barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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introduced · Vermont · House Jan 6, 2026

H 569: An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital care

This bill (H 569) updates Vermont's hospital licensing and patient rights laws to explicitly allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to serve as the primary coordinator of a hospital patient's care, alongside physicians. It amends the Patients' Bill of Rights (18 V.S.A. § 1852) to state patients have the right to "an attending physician or APRN" responsible for care coordination, and revises hospital licensing requirements (18 V.S.A. § 1905) to require patients be under care of "a licensed physician or an APRN." The changes directly affect hospitals (which must now permit APRNs to coordinate care), patients (who gain the right to choose APRNs as primary care coordinators), and APRNs (who gain expanded scope under hospital licensing). The bill does not alter APRN practice standards but clarifies their role in hospital settings.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly expands APRN scope to coordinate hospital care, amends patient rights to include APRNs, and revises licensing to require physician/APRN care coordination, improving access and patient rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Primary Care

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introduced · Vermont · House Jan 21, 2026

H 736: An act relating to medication adherence and continuity of care in inpatient health care settings

This bill requires Vermont inpatient health care facilities to allow patients to continue taking all medically necessary medications prescribed for rare diseases - even if the facility doesn’t normally stock those drugs. It directly affects hospitals and patients receiving treatment for rare conditions who enter facilities while on specific medication regimens. The key provision mandates that facilities must accommodate these medications to prevent treatment disruptions during hospital stays. This ensures continuity of care without requiring facilities to maintain stock of every rare disease medication. The bill aims to address documented shortages of rare disease drugs in hospitals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates hospitals to continue rare disease medications during inpatient care, preventing treatment disruption and protecting patient access to necessary care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 189: An act relating to establishing a process for the elimination of certain hospital services

S.189 requires Vermont hospitals to obtain prior approval from the Agency of Human Services before reducing or eliminating any hospital services. Hospitals must provide 60 days' notice to the Agency, the Green Mountain Care Board, local lawmakers, and the public, including holding community hearings and explaining how cuts align with state health plans. The Agency reviews proposals for consistency with the Statewide Health Care Delivery Strategic Plan and access to care before approving or denying them. Approved service changes must be reported to the Green Mountain Care Board, which may adjust the hospital’s budget to maintain necessary services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates hospital service cuts require state approval and alignment with health plans to protect access, preventing reductions that would weaken care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 6, 2026

S 188: An act relating to hospital governance

Senate Bill 188 requires Vermont hospitals to include at least two public representatives on their boards of directors, appointed by the Governor. Hospitals must also submit detailed reports to the Green Mountain Care Board before approving any changes to executive compensation, including compensation benchmarks and peer group data. Public representatives must consider the interests of patients, employees, and the community when making decisions. This bill directly affects all Vermont hospitals and their executive compensation practices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires public oversight in hospital governance to prioritize patient/community interests, aligning with healthcare protection and improved service accountability.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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introduced · Vermont · House Jan 15, 2026

H 689: An act relating to financial aid exceptions for individuals with a disability

This bill (H.689) requires service providers to adjust financial aid applications for housing, hospital, and surgical care so that only the income of an individual with a disability - not their entire household - is used to determine eligibility and benefit levels. It directly affects Vermont residents with disabilities who apply for these specific types of financial assistance. The key change is modifying how income is calculated during the application process, focusing solely on the applicant's earnings rather than household income. This aims to ensure fairer access to aid by accounting for the individual's personal financial situation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareModifies income calculation to expand eligibility for healthcare financial aid (hospital/surgical care), improving access for disabled individuals by focusing solely on applicant's income.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingModifies housing aid eligibility to use only applicant's income (not household), increasing accessibility for disabled residents seeking housing assistance.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · Vermont · Senate Feb 5, 2025

S 43: An act relating to reference-based pricing and cost-containment in the State employees’ health plan

This bill requires Vermont's Department of Human Resources to implement reference-based pricing for inpatient and outpatient hospital services (excluding critical access hospitals) in the state employees' health plan starting in 2026. It limits annual premium growth for the plan to no more than medical inflation in the Northeast region and allows school employers to join the plan to cover their employees. The policy directly affects current state employees, school employees whose employers participate, and the state government as the health plan administrator. The Department must report annually on the program's cost impact to the legislature.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareLimits premium growth to medical inflation and expands coverage to school employees, supporting affordability and access in state health plan.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance

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introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 22, 2025

S 20: An act relating to increasing the monetary thresholds for certificates of need

This bill raises the monetary thresholds requiring a certificate of need for health care projects in Vermont. It increases the cost triggers from $1.5 million to $10 million for non-hospital facility expansions and $3 million to $10 million for hospital capital projects. The bill also adds a new $50 million threshold for large projects and exempts health care services or facilities resulting from direct state contracts. These changes apply to all health care facilities needing prior approval for major investments or service expansions, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill reduces regulatory barriers for healthcare facility expansions by raising CON thresholds, facilitating more projects and potentially improving access to services without explicit cost controls.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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introduced · Vermont · House Feb 19, 2025

H 267: An act relating to the Vermont Hospital Security Plan

H 267 establishes the Vermont Hospital Security Plan, creating a state-administered program to provide hospital coverage for all Vermont residents regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The plan requires hospitals to accept the state's negotiated annual payments (based on global budgets) for services provided to all patients, prevents balance billing for Vermont residents beyond set cost-sharing amounts, and includes out-of-state hospital coverage for Vermont residents. Key mechanisms include annual global hospital budgets limiting cost growth to the Consumer Price Index plus 3.5%, a dedicated trust fund financed by state transfers and federal Medicaid/Medicare funds, and appeal processes for denied claims. This directly affects Vermont residents seeking hospital care and Vermont hospitals receiving state payments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-administered hospital funding program with global budgets, directly allocating state resources for healthcare coverage as essential public service.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates universal hospital coverage for all Vermont residents, prevents balance billing, and ensures access regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Medicare

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