The House Health Care Committee continues work this week on a draft bill to create a state chronic care infrastructure and management program and a Medicaid-administered program to provide coverage for chronic care and preventive services to Vermont’s uninsured. The committee hopes to have a bill voted out within a week or two.

The House Ways and Means Committee, in coordination with the Health Care Committee, continues to gather information about the state’s health care financing structure in anticipation of the need for additional revenues to fund the Health Care Committee’s reform proposal.

Legislative Democratic leaders last week attempted to outflank the administration and capture the high ground in what they expect will be a critical political issue in the upcoming showdown between the legislature and the Governor over health care reform. Governor James Douglas is expected to contrast his plan that is based on voluntary participation and the private market and doesn’t require new state taxes, with any legislative plan that does require new taxes or fees. The administration’s reform plan is designed to reduce the rate of uninsured by creating a new individual insurance market to allow low cost private insurance benefit products, and to provide subsidies and incentives for employees to opt into their employer’s group health plans. Conversely, the legislature’s preferred government-centered reform plans will require new sources of state revenues.

Democrats fired the first salvo in the public relations battle, pointing out to the media that the real cost of the administration’s plan is much higher than they say due to an increased cost to employers by having additional employees enrolled in their health plans. There is no real difference, Democrats say, in paying additional taxes or paying additional premiums. 

This battle for public opinion will continue as long as the reform debate continues this session and could rage on through the election season this fall.

Also last week, the Senate Finance Committee continued its work on a bill (S.285) to allow divorced spouses to continue coverage on their former spouse’s health plan. The Committee has redrafted the bill to eliminate the possibility of three adults on one policy and will continue refining the proposal.

And the Senate Health and Welfare Committee is nearing completion of its work on a “consensus” bill addressing health reform initiatives that have broad support. This bill addresses information technology, consumer price and quality information, healthy lifestyle premium discounts, and other items.

New Bills of Interest

H.797 Introduced by Representative Masland of Thetford

This bill proposes to establish a Vermont health care education program within the department of health to coordinate state and private health education programs.

H.805 Introduced by representative Koch of Barre Town and others

This bill addresses information technology funding, billing error discovery awards, chronic care reinsurance, common benefit plan, individual insurance mandate, small business health insurance tax credit, Medicaid reform, tort reform, and primary care clinics.

H.842 Introduced by Representative Condon of Colchester and others

This bill proposes to require hospitals to post the average rates charged to private health insurers, Medicare and the uninsured for the 20 most common procedures and dispensed medications.

H.847 Introduced by Representative Jewett of Ripton

This bill addresses medical malpractice insurance.

For more information on legislative proposals, visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont website at www.bcbsvt.com or call Leigh Tofferi at (802) 223-6131 or Kathy Parry at (802) 371-3205. If you wish to discontinue receiving these updates or know of anyone else who would like to receive it, please call Kathy Parry or send an e-mail to parryk@bcbsvt.com