House Ways and Means Committee rejects the Gov.’s 2.35 percent tax on independent physicians 

In his Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Address, Governor Peter Shumlin asked the Vermont General Assembly to enact a new 2.35 percent tax on the net patient revenues of independent physicians and dentists, including payments from Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial Insurance.  The tax was to be applied retroactively to January 1, 2016 and it would raise $17 million in new state revenue.  

But after hearing from numerous physicians and dentists and health care organizations such as the Vermont Medical Society about the adverse impact the tax would have on patient’s access to care, the House Ways and Means Committee decided to not recommend the proposed tax. 

 

Read entire article >>

Senate committee improves opiates bill by leaving some mandates to rulemaking process

The Senate Health & Welfare Committee voted out S. 243, the opioid prescribing bill late last week.  The bill will be reviewed by the Senate Finance and Senate Appropriations committees before it is debated by the full Senate. 

Read entire article >>

H.761 directs the GMCB to reduce the administrative burden of reporting requirements

H.761. directs the Green Mountain Care Board to survey and catalogue all existing performance measures required of primary care providers in Vermont and develop a plan to align performance measures across programs that impact primary care. The plan’s goal shall be to reduce the administrative burden of reporting requirements for providers while balancing the need to have sufficient measures to evaluate quality of and access to care adequately. The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is now being reviewed by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.    


Read entire article >>

Marijuana legalization moves to House; public hearing scheduled for March 31

After passing the Senate, S.241, the bill legalizing marijuana, has moved onto the House and is currently under consideration by the Judiciary Committee. 

Wednesday the committee will hear from Drs. John Hughes, David Rettew and John Porter.  Friday the committee will hear testimony from resident Trey Williams and 3rd year UVM medical student Molly Markowitz as part of pediatric resident advocacy day.  

House committees on Judiciary and on Government Operations will hold a public hearing from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 31, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse.

Members of the public can sign up 30 minutes prior to the hearing. Each person has two minutes to testify, testimony is taken on a first come, first serve basis, and everyone may not be able to testify in the two hour timeframe.  If you are interested in attending/testifying, please contact Stephanie Winters at swinters@vtmd.org.