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January 23, 2015
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Governor Shumlin Outlines Health Care Reform Proposals
On January 15, Governor Peter Shumlin gave his annual budget address to the Vermont General Assembly. As was widely expected, he advanced a five-part health care agenda for the upcoming year.
He had previously outlined its elements on December 17; during the same speech that he indicated that his administration would not be pursuing a single-payer publicly financed healthcare system. The health care reform package is contained in three bills in order to align with legislative jurisdictions: the budget bill, the miscellaneous tax bill, and a health care policy bill.
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Legislation Aims to Tighten Expert Witness Standards
Representative George Till, MD (D - Jericho) and Senator Kevin Mullin (R - Rutland) have introduced bills in the House and Senate that specify the qualifications for expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases.
The bills will require witnesses to have a current unrestricted license to practice medicine, and to be board certified in the same area of specialty as the physician who was sued or to clinically practice as a specialist in the area of medical practice involved in the case. The expert witness must be familiar with the standard of care provided at the time of the occurrence and actively involved in the area of medical practice involved in the case. A physician expert witness must state the basis for his or her testimony such as personal experience, specific clinical references, evidence-based guidelines or a generally accepted opinion in the specialty field.
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Educational Loan Repayment State Funding Eliminated in FY 2016 Budget
On January 15, Governor Peter Shumlin gave his annual budget address to the Vermont General Assembly. As was widely expected, he advanced a five-part health care agenda for the upcoming year.
He had previously outlined its elements on December 17; during the same speech that he indicated that his administration would not be pursuing a single-payer publicly financed healthcare system. The health care reform package is contained in three bills in order to align with legislative jurisdictions: the budget bill, the miscellaneous tax bill, and a health care policy bill.
Read entire article >>
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Governor Proposes Tobacco Control Program Cuts
The Governor’s budget proposes to cut prevention funding for Vermont’s Tobacco Control Program by $400,000. Vermont currently pays $348 million annually on tobacco-attributable health care costs, a figure that has risen as previous cuts to the program have weakened its effectiveness.
Earlier investments in the state’s comprehensive tobacco control program helped cut the youth smoking rate in half. Unfortunately, tobacco control program funding has been reduced by 40 percent since fiscal year 2001 and the Governor’s budget proposes further cuts by eliminating the Tobacco Evaluation and Review Board and reducing the health department’s current year budget by $225,000.
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Coalition Calls for Tax on Sugary Drinks
The Alliance for a Healthier Vermont held a press conference on Tuesday, January 20, to support placing a two-cent-per-ounce excise tax on sugary drinks. During the event, VMS member Dr. Stephen Leffler estimated — conservatively — that a third of the patients he sees in the hospital ER suffer from health issues related in part to being overweight.
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2015 Health Care Legislation and Committee Assignments
The Vermont Medical Society's website, VTMD.org, has been updated to include health care legislation currently being proposed in the Vermont General Assembly, as well as the rosters of pertinent committees.
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