POSTPONED MEETING - Oct 30, 1pm: Joint Public Meeting with GMCB, AHS, and Legislative Leaders on Act 167

MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED 
Stay tune for new date

This is an important meeting for the Green Mountain Care Board, Agency of Human Services and legislators to meet with the public about Act 167, if available please consider if possible. 

The more Vermont providers that are heard from, the louder our voice and concerns in response to Act 167.

Thank you,

Lee Morissette 

DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA 

PAAV President 

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POSTPONED
Oct 30, 1pm: Joint Public Meeting with GMCB, AHS, and Legislative Leaders on Act 167

On Wednesday, October 30th, starting at 1pm, the Green Mountain Care Board, Agency of Human Services and several legislators will host a joint public meeting to discuss Act 167, including the Oliver Wyman report.   The meeting is being held virtually over Microsoft Teams and public comment will be accepted.  The agenda and call in information can be found here.  VMS members are encouraged to attend and offer public comment; public comment can also be submitted at any time here.  A recording of the meeting will be available on the Green Mountain Care Board YouTube channel here.

Last Tuesday, AHS Secretary Jenney Samuelson released a statement on the next steps AHS will take regarding the Oliver Wyman report.  In part, the statement reads:

Understandably, many Vermonters are concerned about what these recommendations mean for them and their community. This is particularly true for the communities whose hospitals would be most affected if the report recommendations were implemented. In the next phase, it is left to all of us to assess both the feasibility and impact of their recommendations. 

In the coming weeks we will be meeting with communities, healthcare partners, and all interested Vermonters. We will work collaboratively with our state partners, including the Green Mountain Care Board and the General Assembly. We will fully assess the impact of our options, in particular on patient access and hospital viability.  We must pay particular attention to the foundational work identified in the report such as access to community-based health services, as well as a significant boost in housing required in order for health care system transformation to succeed. 

I want to reassure Vermonters that any solutions we identify will be thoroughly evaluated. They will be both fiscally sound and operationally feasible. We will make sure our next steps improve patient access, quality, and affordability for Vermonters, and make sure that our local community health systems are strong and viable into the future. After all, we all rely on these systems for our routine care, and in an emergency.