The board that oversees Vermont’s healthcare system has received a final report on reforming healthcare in the state.
The Vermont Legislature passed Act 167 in 2022 calling on the Green Mountain Care Board to initiate a process to reduce inefficiency, lower costs, reduce inequities, increase services and improve outcomes throughout the state’s health care system.
Independent consultants were retained to evaluate the state’s health system and make recommendations for reform. Board Chair Owen Foster says the years-long review has been some of the most important work being done in the state.
“Vermont has some of the highest health care costs in the country. This is an important moment of opportunity and a chance to create a thoughtful, intentionally designed health care system that’s responsive and aligned with Vermonter’s needs,” Foster says. “Our health care system that we currently have was not created with intention to serve our needs today. We need to ensure we have local access to care, to sustain our hospitals and health care providers.”
Oliver Wyman Life Sciences issued the final report this week. It declares that transformation of the health system is urgently needed.
Wyman Partner and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Hamory reviewed the final recommendations, noting systemic changes are necessary in regulatory and financial areas and in the delivery of health care.
“Three things really need to be done,” states Hamory. “One is facilitate the construction of appropriate housing for everybody and the construction of needed medical and medically-related facilities. Pay the non-community access hospitals with reference-based pricing. And then when that’s all set and you know what those expenses are you can set global budgets and then really get care to the most appropriate place for it to be done.”
Care Board member Jessica Holmes worked with Dr. Hamory drafting the study and agrees with his assessment.
“I think our current health care system is not readily accessible. It’s not equitable. It’s not affordable. Individuals, families, businesses, towns are at a breaking point. We have to do something,” asserts Holmes. “Without intentional redesign we’re going to face unplanned disruptive hospital closures that are going to compromise access or we’re going to face local insurer insolvency, personal bankruptcy and unacceptable increases in the uninsured or underinsured rates that also will compromise health outcomes for Vermonters.”
While the Green Mountain Care Board was in the midst of its meeting, officials at Republican Governor Phil Scott’s weekly briefing were asked for their assessment of the state’s all-payer health care system.
Agency of Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson said they had learned a lot over the past seven years and the new report demonstrates more changes are needed.
“We’re going to scour through the Oliver Wyman report with a sense of urgency to implement the recommendations. The affordability issues caused by health care in Vermont are real,” Samuelson says.
The goal of the study is to implement reforms by the end of 2028.
