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By Michael Bielawski
A bipartisan group of lawmakers and former Gov. James Douglas met at the Statehouse to present a way to reign in runaway health insurance premiums. The coalition calls itself Vermont Healthcare 911.
“Vermonters pay twice as much for commercial health insurance as most people around the United States, and you’ll see that the trend line is unfavorable,” said former governor Jim Douglas, the co-chair of the coalition’s Leadership Council. “It’s been going up rapidly the last few years with showing little sign of retreat.”
Their data showed that a higher percentage of healthcare costs in Vermont go to administrative costs compared to similar providers in other states. The economic impact is hitting both business and housing sectors.
“In terms of attracting businesses to locate or expand here, in terms of attracting employees who come to work in Vermont, in terms of attracting more families to make this their home,” Douglas said.
Concerning data included that if a patient goes to UVM Medical Center for service, 71% of the bill is just for “administration and management”. Of Vermont’s total hospital expenditures, 54.5% goes to those costs. At small rural hospitals that drops to 28.5%, and for rural critical access hospitals, it is 17%.
“We pay by quite a substantial amount the most for health insurance of any state,” said former Senator Chris Pearson for Chittenden County, who is also the chair of the board of directors. “You can see Vermont has spiked in the last several years, almost twice what our neighbors pay in Maine, two and a half what our neighbors pay in New Hampshire, and over two times what the country on average pays in premiums.”
Healthcare911 describes itself as a “politically diverse ‘coalition for impact’ made up of business leaders, union workers, healthcare providers, Republicans, Democrats, Progressives, and Independents. We are committed to data-driven discussion that compares healthcare costs across the region and nation,” according to it presser.
It continues, “Vermont’s premiums are the most expensive in the country, creating a healthcare emergency for our businesses, public institutions, private and public sector employees, farmers, taxpayers, and anyone living in Vermont.”
Highest premiums and hospital closures
VDC has covered the rising premiums including a new report that indicated Vermont will have the highest insurance premiums in the nation.
It states, “Vermonters will pay for premiums an average of $1,157 per month, another new national high mark. The next highest is Alaska at $1,088 and then New York at $1,038. For 2024 Vermont was second in the nation for highest premiums, at $908 per month versus $948 for Alaska,” VDC wrote in December.
Financial pressures on healthcare have resulted in some speculation that hospitals could close. The Green Mountain Care Board Chair Owen Foster had to issue a clarification.
“The Oliver Wyman report does not mandate any changes at any Vermont hospital. Rather, it provides a projection of Vermont’s financial headwinds and provides options for local communities and hospital leaders to consider.”
Charity Care?
VDC asked if Charity Care was a viable alternative to the health insurance model. Charity Care means a patient visits the hospital when they need service and pays for that visit only, and the bill is adjusted according to the patient’s income.
Pearson answered, “What sets us apart in this state is we’re in this trend [of higher premiums], people who go without insurance have Charity Care in every state in the country so I don’t think we are seeing that as a driving factor.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: Health Care, State Government
Perhaps while they’re at it they consider placing caps on the “administrative costs” passed on to senior citizens after several Medicare advantage programs allegedly due to GMCB regulations left the state. Also, the board decisions that cause less than adequate care for patients throughout the state and has caused the cut back of psychiatric beds in the state.
Also perhaps there could be a citizen oversight board for watchdog activity on the GMCB activities. It seems odd that UHC administration can walk away with lucrative bonuses while the system is crumbling, the nurses and other staff are fighting for raises, and healthcare in the state is generally going down the toilet.
In 2014 when peter shumlin’s socialized single payer plan was shelved, the goal of many in the Vermont legislature was to push socialized medicine thru anyway. In the sessions since, especially the super-majority controlled legislatures- these marxist socialists and their donors have done everything to overburden the Vermont Health Care system, allow their corporate and private donors to buy out and consolidate the Vermont system and add as much burden legislatively as possible, with the end result leaving Vermont with a bankrupt, crippled system.
Almost there… one more super-majority biennium, and Vermont’s health care system will have collapsed- But government mandated, taxpayer paid free care for whatever minority group is the cause du jour will still be available…
Vermont’s healthcare crisis is directly caused by Vermont’s legislators, past and present.
State Auditor Hoffer recently released a report highlighting the massive waste and fraud in VT’s Medicaid program. Start there and add a work requirement while you’re at it
Do you suppose hyper inflation, thanks to PICKPOCKETPOWELL and the FEDERAL RESERVE with their zero interest rates , had anything to do with higher costs on everything. Nothing to see here folks and wait for the grand performance coming from the Vermont statehouse.
I pay $1,004 per month out of pocket for Blue Cross health insurance with a $5,700 deductible. Truly obscene. Democrats love to grow government to the highest employee count and cost, we see that in healthcare as well as education and state government. We need a total reset and an ouster of the bunglers who have no idea what they’re doing or are stealing from us to give to their union masters. Unfortunately, the majority of Vermont voters love high taxes and incompetent democrats. Nothing will change until we have politicians with backbones who aren’t beholden to unions and are willing to acknowledge the real problem – an oppressively gigantic bureaucracy.
Health care costs have risen faster than inflation for years. There is no legitimate reason for this. Back in the 1990’s, health insurance rates increased because of “cost shifting”. Private health insurance rose because it was claimed that medicaid and medicare did not pay the full cost of the care. Cost shifting is still the problem today. Our Vt. government added more and more people to be eligible for medicaid leaving fewer and fewer people to pay for private insurance. Costs went up. Now the costs are so high with outrageous deductibles that more and more people are finding health insurance to be a worthless product. I’m sure people on the coalition, Vermont Health Care 911 have heard me say this for years. I’m surprised and hurt that they didn’t ask me to be a member of the coalition. I wish the coalition success in shinning a light on our health care costs and I will continue to be a critic if and when they are wrong.
Get rid of GMCB get rid of all the middle men. Stop putting things between you and your “health”care.
True example: during Trumps first term he vowed to help the VA and providers. So he hired a third party to manage payments so we were paid in a timely manner. Sometimes it took 6 months for payment, you know government works quickly. The problem….they took 50% of the payment, and many providers dropped the VA. Unintended consequences, which could have been anticipated if they had just asked!
Do they support the onesie?
Our state is a complete joke, led by those who protect the government protected monopolies that are bleeding Vermonters dry. This is only one of many.
Our system is fatally flawed and corrupt. The people can’t get their jobs done well in such a terrible situation. We can do much better.
The truth that Sanders took in $1.7 million from the pharma companies tells us all what a joke he is fighting for lower costs on pharmaceuticals. He is bought and paid for.
Highest premiums and closures….does this sound familiar?
Health care
Education System.
Government controlled monopolies, just like….EB-5, where they stole and scammed people wanting to come to the united states…..did they ever give them citizenship? But we allow others dealing drugs to walk across the border free and paid for travel, via NGO’s being paid by the tax payer?
Every system Montpelier touches is a failure.
We need a flushing.
I for one miss Jim Douglas as governor!!