Opinion – Vermont Doctors: We must support Green Mountain Council in its efforts to improve Vermont’s health care delivery – Vtdigger

Dear Editor,

We applaud the Green Mountains Council for increasing its efforts to address Vermont’s crippling health care costs, most specifically in connection with the recent FY2025 hospital budget decision and order, and for stimulating serious discussion by introducing the Report of Oliver Wyman’s consultant.

The order demonstrates the GMCB’s assessment that hospital administrative costs and exorbitant prices, particularly at the state’s largest hospital, are major drivers of regional costs—ones that Vermonters can no longer afford and that are severely out of step with benchmarks. from Peer organizations in other countries. Impressive analysis and thought seems to have gone into GMCB’s orders.

Oliver Wyman’s report, which grew out of Act 167 of 2022, further informs and raises very specific opportunities for change – aimed at righting the course of affordability of care. Calls to maintain lower cost care options, to move outpatient procedures out of hospitals and to reduce administrative costs are spot on. We recognize major problems with access to primary care and with many specialist specialist access. These issues need to be addressed by changing an unsupportive, burdensome and distracting delivery system that causes inefficiencies, supplier burnout, poor performance and an inability to compete with other countries to attract and retain high quality practitioners.

Vermont has historically had one of the healthiest populations in the US and has maintained very low costs per Medicare patient, yet it has some of the highest per capita health care costs in the country. Vermont’s school budgets, workforce recruitment and ability to keep thriving businesses stable have been stifled by health care reform failures.

Collectively, we have many decades of experience as Vermonters, as patients of Vermont’s hospitals and providers, and as physicians providing medical and surgical care to Vermonters. We are writing for three reasons:

1. To thank the GMCB for its efforts to respond to the mandate of Act 167 and move the conversation forward and
2. To encourage those who would criticize GMCB’s efforts to instead offer alternative, meaningful solutions to Vermont’s dysfunctional health care model, even by relinquishing some power, control and/or profit for the well-being of our neighbors and our communities.
3. To implore legislators, regulators, and gubernatorial administration officials to support the GMCB in its efforts to improve Vermont’s health care delivery. There will remain enormous pressure to resist, to encourage further delay and to abandon what needs to be done. Political courage is needed now more than ever. We ask that everyone work together for meaningful reform, despite the fundamental changes that may be needed for individual organizations or communities.

We appreciate the enormity of the work the GMCB has been charged with and especially thank them for their proactive efforts and dedication. After more than a decade of largely ineffective health care reform, their bold actions are critical. We look forward to working with the GMCB and trust that other health care providers will join in a collaborative effort toward a common goal for Vermont.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Aresson, MD

Maitri Health Care for Women

Chittenden County

N Anton Borja, do

Integrative Osteopathic Family Medicine

Chittenden County

Melissa Brans, Ph.D

Green Mountain Internal Medicine

Chittenden County

Jennifer Brown, MD

Northeastern Reproductive Medicine

Chittenden County

Kimberly Bruno, MD

Tamarac Family Medicine

Lamoye County

Esther Caballero-Manrique, MD

Anesthesia Associates of Vermont

Chittenden County

Peter Casson, MD

Northeastern Reproductive Medicine

Chittenden County

Armando Ciampa, Ph.D

Vermont Surgpath

Lamoye County

Melissa Gibson, Ph.D

Chittenden County

Alex Graham, MD

Chittenden County

Andrew Haig, MD

Hague Physical Medicine

Addison County

Cory Halliburton, MD

Vermont Gastroenterology

Chittenden County

Christopher J. Hebert, Ph.D

Green Mountain Internal Medicine

Chittenden County

Alex John, MD

Vermont Gastroenterology

Chittenden County

Philip Keely, Ph.D

Tamarac Family Medicine

Lamoye County

Alan Landau, MD

Vermont Gastroenterology

Chittenden County

Kate Lane, MD

Vermont Ophthalmic Consultants

Chittenden County

Jane Lowell, MD

Maitri Health Care for Women

Chittenden County

Susan McLannan, Ph.D

Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery

Chittenden County

Gregory McCormick, MD

Vermont Ophthalmic Consultants

Chittenden County

Scott McQuilkin, do

Anesthesia Associates of Vermont

Chittenden County

Vincent Miller, MD

Anesthesia Associates of Vermont

Chittenden County

Christine Murray, Ph.D

Northeastern Reproductive Medicine

Chittenden County

Joseph Nasca, Ph.D

Pediatrics in Georgia

Franklin County

Paul Parker, MD

Richmond Pediatric and Adolescent Richmond

Chittenden County

Paul Reiss, Ph.D

Chittenden County

Dennis Sanders, MD

Champlain Valley Hematology Hematology

Chittenden County

David Schwartz, MD

Vermont Gastroenterology

Chittenden County

Jessica Sisto, Ph.D

Chittenden County

Lindsay Smith, MD

Maitri Health Care for Women

Chittenden County

Peter Spitellie, Md

Anesthesia Associates of Vermont

Chittenden County

Mary Stanley, Ph.D

Breast care of the mountain

Chittenden County

Amy Thibault, MD

Maitri Health Care for Women

Chittenden County

Julie Thompson, do

Chittenden County

Adriane Trout, MD

Thomas Chittenden Health Center

Chittenden County

Michael Visker, MD

Pediatrics in Georgia

Franklin County

David Weisgold, MD

Vermont Retina Center

Chittenden County

Peter Wilhelm MD
Middlebury Family Health

Addison County

John Wright, Ph.D

Wright Medicine

Chittenden County

Michelle Young, Ph.D

Vermont Retina Center

Chittenden County