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For the Week Ending May 5, 2006 The veto threat came as legislators scrambled to finish their work and adjourn for the year. The Governor’s announcement of his intentions on health care along with the large number of bills still awaiting resolution persuaded legislative leaders to recess for the weekend and return this week to finish. The additional time before adjournment could allow additional negotiation on health care reform to take place if both sides believe a solution is within their grasp. Individual legislators who have been involved in health care reform were still busy over the weekend trying to find ways to forge a compromise. House and Senate conferees worked feverishly throughout last week to fashion a health care bill that met the goals of the House and Senate majorities but that also would be acceptable to the Governor. The conferees huddled with consultant Ken Thorpe and legislative staff to bridge the differences between the two chambers and craft it in a way to meet the requirements of the administration. In response to last year’s veto of a more far-reaching reform proposal, legislators believe they made numerous concessions to the Governor when developing H.861 this year. Among those concessions was a provision for private market for delivery of benefits to the state’s uninsured. Douglas has insisted on a private market for Catamount Health to avoid the prospect that a new state entitlement program would put the state at greater risk financially then it is already facing with huge deficits in existing Medicaid programs. Both Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont and MVP Health Plan submitted letters last week stating their intent to voluntarily participate in the private insurance option if given adequate rates. The conferees are not likely to back down from their position that the state assume control of the program and put its administration out bid to a private administrator if the private insurance market idea does not pan out. Both Republicans who served on the conference committee, one from the Senate and one from the House, voted for the conference report. The Senate voted overwhelmingly Friday also to approve the conference committee report on H.861. The House will consider the report on Tuesday, unless there is a last minute change of heart over a new compromise of some sort that extends the high stakes brinksmanship surrounding this bill. 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 |
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