Past Policy Updates

Good Monday afternoon...will just discuss 2 broad topics today.

Health Care Reform

• The House and Senate Committees have been spending most of their committee time hearing about the legislation previously passed, technical corrections needed, and implementation details. So far there have not been any major reform bills introduced in Vermont.
• The Vermont Health Care five-year implementation plan is now online and available for you to review (I haven't yet).
• Lots more media attention regarding need for "universal" health care systems, which still means different things to different people. See the national AP article.
• In Vermont a recently released survey (implemented by a team including Deb Richter and Con Hogan) indicates that physicians in Vermont are extremely unhappy about under-reimbursement, excessive paperwork that takes time away from patient care, and second-guessing by insurance companies. View the Times Argus article on the survey. I have a copy of the survey if you would like me to e-mail it to you.
• This week the House Committee on Health Care is scheduled to hear about seasonal workers (and Catamount) and from insurance companies re: chronic care. View their calendar online. The Senate Health Committee is hearing from Ken Thorpe on Wed. re: Catamount Health and about prescription drugs on Friday. View the Senate Health Committee calendar online.

Common Assets

• Last week VBSR, as part of our Fair Tax Coalition work, helped to bring Peter Barnes to the statehouse as part of the global warming series, to present information on carbon-trading programs. Under this system the state would cap total carbon dioxide emissions and auction off a set number of permits annually that would be traded in the free market system. The state could then use the money from permit sales to provide rebates to consumers or to invest into conservation and efficiency programs. Barnes is the Co-founder of Working Assets and author of Who Owns The Sky? about the Sky Trust concept, and Capitalism 3.0: A Guide To Reclaiming The Commons.
• S. 44 has been introduced by a bi-partisan group including Senators Miller, Condos, Doyle, Illuzzi, MacDonald, McCormack, and Snelling regarding a Vermont common assets trust. The bill proposes to make it clear that state policy is to protect certain common assets (such as air and water) for the benefit of present and future generations. It would establish a framework in which certain users of those common assets may be assessed fees that would be deposited into a common assets trust fund, which would be managed so as to protect those assets and serve the interests of present and future people of the state. It proposes to provide that the common assets trust fund would be managed by a board of trustees, in the interest of the beneficiaries. It proposes to establish an advisory committee to recommend to the general assembly ways in which the framework could be implemented so as to serve the purposes expressed in the bill. WOW. This would be very significant policy direction especially in light of the Agency of Natural Resources fees bill being up this year. Also, interesting in that the Governor will be presenting his budget tomorrow. Will report on that next time...

Check out the Legislature's web site to see copies of bills or to track bills.  

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