Yet again, health care coverage in Vermont is under attack at the federal level. A coalition of Vermont health care organizations is voicing unified opposition to the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill and clearly states that its passage by the United States Senate would be a major setback for health care in our country. The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill threatens Vermonters’ access to affordable health insurance coverage and violates Vermont’s core values.
If it becomes law, the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill will “defund” Planned Parenthood, and severely reverse gains made at the national level by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) including increased coverage levels and affordability, and other protections such as mental health parity. Previous Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports regarding the ACA repeal found that up to 24 million Americans would lose their health insurance. While the CBO has not updated its forecast for the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill, it is clear that the impact will be significant. Furthermore, any decrease in federal funding through the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill will put Vermont’s payment and delivery system reform efforts in jeopardy. The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill will increase the number of uninsured Vermonters and harm Vermont’s health care system and economy.
The coalition includes Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, the Office of the Health Care Advocate, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the University of Vermont Medical Center, the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, Vermont Care Partners, the Bi-State Primary Care Association, the Vermont Medical Society, and the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care, Inc.
Each of these organizations is committed to improving access to high quality, affordable health care in Vermont and continues to work independently and in collaboration toward this united goal. The coalition calls on the US Senate to reject the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill and any other efforts to roll back access to affordable, high-quality health care.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTACTS:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont
Sara Teachout | Director, Government, Public, and Media Relations
teachoutsgarlanda@bcbsvt.com
802-371-3254
Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid
Mike Fisher | Chief Health Care Advocate
mfisher@vtlegalaid.org
802-383-2226
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
Lucy Leriche (she/her/hers) | Vice President of Public Policy Vermont
Lucy.Leriche@ppnne.org
Cell: 802 598-4182
The University of Vermont Medical Center
Michael Carrese | Media Relations
Michael.Carrese@uvmhealth.org
802-847-0368
Vermont Association of Hospital and Health Systems
Devon Green | Vice President of Government Relations
devon@vahhs.org
802-223-3461 x104
Vermont Care Partners
Julie Tessler | Executive Director
julie@vermontcarepartners.org
802-223-1773 x401
Bi-State Primary Care Association
Georgia Maheras| Director, Vermont Public Policy
gmaheras@bistatepca.org
802-229-0002 x 218
Vermont Medical Society
Jessa Barnard| General Counsel
jbarnard@vtmd.org
802-223-7898
Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care, Inc.
Catherine Fulton | Executive Director
catherinef@vpqhc.org
802-229-2449
VNAs of Vermont
Jill Mazza Olson | Executive Director
jill@vnavt.org
802-229-0579
Thank you,
Michael Fisher
Chief Health Care Advocate
Office of the Health Care Advocate
