The House and Senate have agreed on a final version of this year’s umbrella health care bill, sending new regulations on health care reform to Gov. Peter Shumlin’s desk for his signature.
Major provisions in H.812 establish consumer protections should the Shumlin administration reach an agreement to set up an all-payer model for health care reform and direct the state to regulate accountable care organizations.
The bill also sets new nutrition standards for food sold by the state on public property and creates an “advisory group” to help lawmakers and the Green Mountain Care Board reduce administrative burden on primary care doctors.
Lawmakers included language for studies of Dr. Dynasaur 2.0 and universal primary care, and for the creation a Health Research Commission.
The commission did not receive funding in the budget bill, H.875, but the Dr. Dynasaur study received $100,000 in state funding, matched with federal dollars. The budget includes language to require the Agency of Administration to do a no-cost literature review of implementing universal primary care.
Lawmakers also gave the Joint Fiscal Office $250,000 to study how to move forward with Vermont Health Connect. The House originally proposed $400,000 for the study.
