Public Policy Blog

You may have heard a few things about these Health Insurance Exchanges that Montpelier lawmakers are creating this year.

Debate is raging in Montpelier over the Exchanges, a new federally-created system of buying and selling health insurance. What size companies can buy on the Exchange? Will insurance be sold outside the Exchange? Can it be used as a bridge to a single-payer system?

Some of what you heard is true. Some may not be.

Health Insurance Exchange Webinar
Reserve your spot now
Tuesday, Feb. 14th, 2012
11am - 12:15pm

VBSR wants to help you cut through the spin and get the facts about the Exchange, including how it may change the way you deliver health insurance to your employees.

We've teamed up with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group to present a free and interactive Webinar explaining what the Exchanges are and what they will mean for your business.

Special guests on the Webinar include:

Bram Kleppner
CEO of Danforth Pewter
&
Al Gobeille
Burlington business owner and member of the Green Mountain Care Board

Space on the Webinar is limited, so please register now for tomorrow's event. We're looking forward to chatting with you!

Health Care Reform
VBSR is disappointed in Gov. Shumlin's decision last week to abandon plans for a strong and robust Health Insurance Exchange. You can read more about the decision here.

The Administration's decision to restrict access to the Exchange to businesses with less than 50 employees and to allow high deductible bronze plans to be sold weakens Vermont's vision for the system as a bridge to a universal health care system. Because of this decision, the Exchanges will not improve the employer-sponsored health insurance for many Vermonters.

VBSR Public Policy Chair Russ Bennett testified before the Senate Finance Committee last Tuesday, telling lawmakers that we need to refocus on building a comprehensive health care system that covers all Vermonters and decouples insurance from employment. Our businesses cannot wait until 2017 or 2020 for reform; we need to still real change from Montpelier in the next few years.

 

Thank you.

Last week was an amazing one in Montpelier, both inside and outside of the Statehouse.

VBSR had an amazing Legislative Reception at City Center in downtown Montpelier last Thursday night. It was so great to catch up with so many members, friends, lawmakers and other officials. Special thanks go out to our event sponsors - KSE Focus, National Life Group and Washington Electric Cooperative.

Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell came by for a few minutes to express his appreciation for VBSR and its member businesses and talk a little about politics under the Golden Dome this year (check out the video below).

VIDEO: Senate President John Campbell addresses the crowd at VBSR's 2012 Legislative Reception in Montpelier

Health Care Reform
Several VBSR business leaders came out last week to testify in support of health care reform before a joint hearing of the House & Senate Health Care committees. The new health care bill, H.559, sets up the federally-mandated Health Insurance Exchanges and VBSR is urging lawmakers to create a strong Exchange and swiftly transition to a universal health care system.

A big thank you to Russ Bennett of NorthLand Visual Design and Construction, Bram Kleppner of Danforth Pewter and Michael Roche of Stowe Tree Experts for traveling to Montpelier on a Wednesday evening to testify.

Do you want to help support Health Care Reform in Vermont? Here are two ways to help out:
• Testify TOMORROW before the Senate Finance Committee. Members of this committee could not attend last week's public hearing for employers and are looking for business leaders to come to the Statehouse at 1:30pm on Tuesday, Feb. 7th. If you can attend, please contact Jill Remby (jremby@leg.state.vt.us), the assistant to the committee, as soon as possible.
• Attend an interactive webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 15th from 11am-12:15pm that will explain what Health Insurance Exchanges are and how they will change the way you deliver health insurance to you and your employees. The webinar is a special project between VBSR and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. To reserve your space, click here.

VBSR supports Working Landscape legislation
A big thank you to Scott Buckingham of High Rock Consulting for representing VBSR and testifying before the House Agriculture Committee last week in support of H.496, a bill that invests in Vermont's Working Landscape economy.

Buckingham, a member of VBSR's Public Policy Committee, told the committee that we support the legislation because it lays the "groundwork for several important initiatives that will benefit the state's economy, identity, security and rural communities by leveraging our unique agricultural/forest assets and streamlining oversight of programs and funds."

The bill allocates $3 million to support new and developing Vermont businesses in the forest and farm sectors.

There are two important events in Montpelier next week for VBSR members. We appreciate when our members get involved in policy and we look forward to seeing you at one (or both) of these events this week.

Health Care Reform hearing for Employers - WEDNESDAY
The House and Senate Health Care committees will hold a special meeting Wednesday night (Feb. 1) to receive input from employers on H.559, the new health care reform legislation. The meeting is from 5-7pm in Room 11 at the Statehouse.

If you live or work near Montpelier, this is the time to come to the Statehouse and let Vermont lawmakers know that businesses support health care reform.

Want to testify? Please contact Agatha Kessler (AKessler@leg.state.vt.us) to be added to the schedule. You can also let VBSR know you will testify by emailing us at danielb@vbsr.org.

H.559 sets up the Health Insurance Exchanges, as mandated by the federal Affordable Care Act. Vermont plans to use the Exchanges as the platform for the new single-payer health care system. The committees are interested in hearing employer feedback on the following decision points: (1) Defining the small group market as businesses with either 50 or less or 100 or less employees and (2) Whether qualified health care plans should be purchased by the small group market outside of the Exchange.

VBSR is urging lawmakers to define the small group market at 100 and to not allow health plans for the small group market to be sold outside of the Exchange. You can read more about H.559 here.

VBSR Legislative Reception - THURSDAY
We're continuing our tradition of starting each Legislative session off with a party!

VBSR's annual Legislative Reception will be held on Thursday, Feb. 2nd from 5-7pm at City Center in downtown Montpelier (right next to The Skinny Pancake). There will be light snacks and a cash bar by our friends at The Skinny Pancake.

All VBSR members are invited to join us and spend a few hours with Vermont lawmakers and policy-makers. Looking forward to seeing you there!