Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 24, 2025

H 82: An act relating to establishing the Division of Planning and Evaluation and strengthening the regulatory capacity of the Green Mountain Care Board

This bill establishes a new Division of Planning and Evaluation within Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board. The division will create annual reports on healthcare costs, access, and quality; develop a five-year strategic plan for improving population health and rural healthcare access; and set spending targets for total healthcare costs. It directs the Board to implement this plan, align hospital budgets with strategic goals, and develop standardized financial reporting with hospitals. The bill also adds new staff/resources to the Board and proposes alternative funding sources for healthcare payments as existing models expire.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes division to improve healthcare access, quality, and cost management through strategic planning and reporting, directly advancing healthcare system goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 22, 2025

H 61: An act relating to bodily autonomy and health care decision making

H.61 would establish that Vermont residents have the right to make their own health care decisions, including refusing medical treatments, testing, or vaccines based on personal beliefs. The bill prohibits state agencies, employers, schools, and other entities from denying or restricting this right, even during public health emergencies like disease outbreaks. It specifically clarifies that parents retain the authority to make health care choices for their minor children. Individuals harmed by violations could seek legal remedies, including damages and attorney fees, through the courts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly protects patient autonomy in healthcare decisions, prohibiting restrictions on treatment refusal, aligning with patient rights protection indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 24, 2025

S 25: An act relating to hospital salaries and administrative staffing ratios

This bill requires Vermont hospitals to report administrative staffing ratios and executive compensation data to the Green Mountain Care Board during budget reviews. It mandates that administrative staff ratios align with national averages for similar hospitals and caps executive pay at no more than 10 times the salary of the lowest-paid direct patient care staff. These requirements apply to all hospitals submitting budgets for fiscal years 2027 and later. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, with implementation for 2027 budgets.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill caps executive pay at 10x lowest patient care staff and mandates staffing ratios aligned with national averages, prioritizing direct patient care resources.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCaps executive pay at 10x lowest direct care staff salary, directly strengthening worker compensation standards and reducing pay inequality for frontline healthcare workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

Track

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 20, 2025

H 296: An act relating to Vermont’s adoption of the Dietician Licensure Compact

Vermont's H 296 would adopt the Dietician Licensure Compact, allowing licensed dietitians in Vermont to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This compact directly affects licensed dietitians seeking to work across state lines and improves public access to dietetics services by eliminating redundant licensing requirements. The key mechanism establishes a "compact privilege" equivalent to a state license, streamlining practice for professionals while maintaining state-level regulatory authority over patient care standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill eliminates redundant licensing for dietitians, directly improving public access to dietetics services across state lines as stated in summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

Track

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 25, 2025

S 83: An act relating to protections against medical debt

S 83 protects Vermont residents from medical debt harming their credit and finances by banning credit bureaus from reporting medical debt on credit reports. It limits interest on medical debt to 1.5%-4% annually (based on Treasury yields) and prohibits wage garnishment or property seizure to collect such debt. The bill applies to hospitals, clinics, and debt collectors, and also stops them from selling or reporting medical debt to credit agencies. It takes effect July 1, 2025, with interest limits applying only to new debt incurred after that date. Patients receiving financial assistance under state law are exempt from all interest and late fees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects patients from medical debt harming credit/finances, limits interest, and bans collection tactics - directly improving healthcare access and financial security for patients.95% confidence

Track

signed · Vermont · House May 14, 2025

H 13: An act relating to Medicaid payment rates for community-based service providers

H.13 establishes new requirements for how the Secretary of Human Services calculates Medicaid payment rates for home- and community-based service providers. The bill directs the Secretary to set "reasonable and adequate" rates for services provided to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with mental health or substance use disorders. The calculation methodology must consider factors such as governmental mandates, inflation, and labor market dynamics, and includes a schedule for studying rates at least every five years. It also creates a process for providers at imminent risk of closure to request stabilization and requires annual recalculation and reporting of these rates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates 'reasonable and adequate' Medicaid rates for mental health/disability services, ensuring provider payment stability to maintain access and quality care for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 28, 2025

H 433: An act relating to incremental implementation of Green Mountain Care

H 433 establishes a 10-year phased rollout of Green Mountain Care, Vermont's publicly financed health care program for all residents. It begins with universal primary care in Year 1, adds preventive dental and vision care in Year 2, and expands to additional services over the next eight years based on recommendations from the Green Mountain Care Board's Universal Health Care Advisory Group. The bill mandates that the Board verify specific criteria before implementation, including ensuring benefits have at least 80% actuarial value, maintaining economic sustainability, reducing administrative costs, and preventing duplication with existing insurance coverage. All Vermont residents are directly affected as the program aims to provide comprehensive coverage equivalent to the 2011 health care reform blueprint.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes 10-year phased rollout of universal healthcare (Green Mountain Care), expanding coverage to all residents with primary care, dental/vision, and additional services over time.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Primary Care

Track

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 14, 2025

S 8: An act relating to eligibility for Dr. Dynasaur for young adults up to 26 years of age

This bill expands Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur program to cover all young adults under age 26 who live in Vermont and have incomes at or below 312% of the federal poverty level. It directly affects Vermont residents aged 18-26 who currently might not qualify for the program due to age or income limits. The key change amends eligibility rules to remove previous restrictions, making coverage available to all qualifying young adults regardless of prior enrollment status. The program, administered under federal Medicaid/SCHIP rules, will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands health coverage for young adults by removing age/income restrictions under Dr. Dynasaur program, directly increasing access to healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

Track

signed · Vermont · Senate May 16, 2025

S 27: An act relating to medical debt relief and excluding medical debt from credit reports

This bill establishes a state-funded program to provide medical debt relief for eligible Vermont residents. It appropriates $1 million to contract with a nonprofit entity to acquire and abolish qualifying medical debts, ensuring these debts are removed from individuals' credit reports. The legislation also prohibits credit reporting agencies, large healthcare facilities, and medical debt collectors from reporting medical debt information. Furthermore, large healthcare facilities are restricted from selling medical debt unless it is to a nonprofit for the express purpose of debt abolition. Finally, the bill clarifies the definition of "behavioral health" in state statutes to avoid stigmatization.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides state-funded medical debt relief, removes medical debt from credit reports, reducing financial barriers to healthcare access and protecting patient rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

signed · Vermont · House May 21, 2026

H 270: An act relating to confidentiality in peer support sessions for emergency service providers

This Vermont bill (H.270) establishes confidentiality for peer support counseling sessions provided to emergency service providers, including firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and others in critical response roles. All communications - oral or written - during these sessions must remain confidential, with exceptions for threats of suicide/homicide, child or vulnerable adult abuse, criminal conduct, or plans to commit a crime. Written records related to sessions are exempt from public disclosure under Vermont’s Public Records Act. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies to both paid and volunteer emergency service providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects confidentiality of peer support counseling for emergency responders, advancing mental health services access and patient rights.90% confidence