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.