Legislature Report
For the Week Ending January 22, 2010
Vermont’s legislative health care reform picture became more complicated last week with the election of Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown to the US Senate and subsequent statements by President Obama and Democratic Congressional leaders that federal reform efforts may need to be scaled back.
Whereas Vermont’s legislative leadership had expected to spend most of its time this session working to align Vermont’s laws with new federal laws thereby postponing any new state initiatives, health policy leaders within the legislature are now talking about action here at the state level this year. As of this moment, that action appears to be centered on cost containment through hospital budgets. Also to be considered are mechanisms to ensure those restrictions translate into lower increases in insurance premiums.
An ad hoc group of legislators, three from the Senate and three from the House – including the chairs of the respective health policy committees - have been meeting with hospital representatives and are inviting physicians and insurers to the table this week. At the same time, the House Health Care Committee and the Senate Health and Welfare Committee have been meeting jointly to acquaint themselves with the hospital budgeting process and options that may be available to contain cost increases.
Many reform proposals introduced as legislation this biennium include requirements for “global” hospital budgets. Most of those proposals envision a reduced role for private insurance and some would implement a single-payer system here. Single-payer activists are pushing for legislation this year that lays out a “road map” to single-payer health care.
Further complicating the legislative picture is the number of high profile senators seeking the Democratic nomination to run for the gubernatorial post being vacated by Gov. Jim Douglas. Senate Health and Welfare Chair Doug Racine, Appropriation Committee Chair Susan Bartlett, and president pro temp Peter Shumlin are all vying for their party’s nomination and each of them believe they need the support of health reform advocates to be successful.
This week, the House Health Care Committee will discuss the governor’s proposed FY2011 budget recommendations pertaining to health care, consider three reports on health care utilization and variation, learn about hospital costs and preventable readmissions, and hear from Catamount insurers BCBSVT and MVP about strategies to reduce the cost of this program for the uninsured. The committee will also join the Senate Health and Welfare Committee in ongoing hearings about hospital global budgeting.
The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to begin hearings on S.262, a bill that would mandate coverage for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum conditions in health benefit plans. The House Health Care Committee will hear from Catamount insurers BCBSVT and MVP on their recommendations for containing costs in that program for the uninsured.
New Bills of Interest:
H.548 Introduced by Representative Canfield of Fair Haven and others
This bill proposes to require health insurers to provide coverage for expenses related to bone marrow testing.
If you are interested in this week’s Legislative Committee Meeting schedules, agendas, and a listing of other meetings and activities, please visit the Vermont Legislature’s website at http://www.leg.state.vt.us/schedule/schedule2.cfm
Committee meetings are normally updated daily, and are subject to change without notice. If you plan on attending, you may want to call ahead to verify the agenda.
For more information on legislative proposals, visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of