Bill > H0320

This bill aims to stabilize Vermont's rural hospitals through several key provisions. The Green Mountain Care Board is prohibited from implementing certain recommendations from a consultant's report until July 1, 2026, including restrictions on commercial hospital subsidies, licensing of outpatient units, and reference-based pricing. The Board is required to collect direct financial and service-level data from Vermont hospitals to develop transformation goals that preserve rural hospital access, and must report these goals to the General Assembly by March 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Vermont Health Access and Department of Financial Regulation to explore expanding health insurance options on the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange beyond the current two insurers. Additionally, the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) program is tasked with developing a plan to place medical students and residents in clinical rotations at critical access hospitals and to explore scholarship and loan repayment programs to encourage rural medicine careers. Lastly, the Green Mountain Care Board must develop recommendations for compensating hospitals for patients awaiting transfer to other facilities, with a report due by December 1, 2025. The bill is designed to address challenges facing rural healthcare in Vermont by providing strategic support and exploring innovative solutions to maintain access to medical services in smaller communities.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.320