[L]t. Gov. Phil Scott says health care regulators and Gov. Peter Shumlin’s administration are not offering the public adequate explanations about the proposed all-payer model.
Scott, a Republican who is running to succeed Shumlin, says the administration and the Green Mountain Care Board need to perform more outreach in different parts of the state and potentially with newspapers.
“I just felt it was imperative that we had a transparent, statewide discussion,” Scott said. “They only had three meetings outside of Montpelier, and none in southern Vermont or the Northeast Kingdom.”
“I travel around the state a lot, and when you travel into Rutland or Bennington or Brattleboro and Springfield and others, they feel as if they’re forgotten, and they feel the same way up in the Northeast Kingdom as well,” Scott said.
Al Gobeille, who is chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, and Shumlin held their first public forum Monday in Norwich to discuss the all-payer model. The second is scheduled for Thursday at 4 p.m. in Burlington, and another is scheduled for Tuesday in Rutland.
Additionally, the board has been holding meetings to learn about the all-payer model and allowing public comments at those meetings. Those happened Sept. 29 and again Wednesday. The last public meeting is Oct. 13 at 1 p.m.
Scott said in an interview Thursday that since he first raised concerns last week, the administration announced an additional meeting Oct. 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro. But he said there should be additional forums in Bennington County and the Northeast Kingdom.
Shumlin said at a news conference Wednesday: “We’ve had one hearing now, and I was impressed by the quality of the dialogue, the swiftness with which Vermonters understand the proposal, why it makes sense for Vermont, and why it can save Vermonters money.”
“If you’re a candidate who’s worried about affordability, my question would be, how do you make Vermont more affordable if every new idea you hear, you say, ‘Slow down,’” Shumlin said. “That’s what I hear from Phil Scott.”
Shumlin said the all-payer model, which is based on creating one giant accountable care organization, is “absolutely optional.” He said primary care doctors can choose whether to participate in the all-payer model.
“It’s a business decision that primary care providers make. They can stick with the current system or utilize this new system,” he said. “Why would anyone who wants to make Vermont more affordable tell providers they shouldn’t have that option?”
“Why a businessperson would suggest as a candidate for governor that you would withhold an optional business option from someone trying to survive as a primary care physician in Vermont is a mystery to me,” Shumlin said.
Scott said he is not philosophically opposed to the all-payer model. He said he doesn’t have enough information to make a decision and that he’s heard before that health care policies would be good for Vermont.
“As well, this is going to be in the lap of the next governor, regardless of it’s me or Sue Minter, and I think that we both should have a better understanding and a clear understanding of what this is going to entail,” he said.
Minter, who is running for governor as a Democrat, said: “We need to move forward on addressing the rising cost of health care, and this requires leadership.”
“Phil Scott is playing politics and stalling progress on health care reform that could cut costs for middle-class families,” her statement said. “I will listen to Vermonters and talk with health care and community health providers to see how we best reduce costs and get healthier outcomes for all Vermonters.”
On Sept. 7, Scott said of the Green Mountain Care Board and its efforts on all-payer: “Certainly, I’m sure they’ve been transparent, but maybe not enough of us have been paying attention.”
Shumlin said Sept. 15 that “anybody who’s been in government for the last two years, who still doesn’t know what this is, hasn’t been asking many questions.”
