Senator Anthony Pollina hosted a Vermont Interfaith Action Coalition-sponsored health care forum at the Waitsfield United Church of Christ last Wednesday, January 25; local panelists included Waitsfield business owner Russ Bennett and former Valley resident Mary Alice Bisbee.
Pollina introduced additional panel members Dr. Marvin Malek, member of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, and Steve Kimbell, commissioner of the Department of Banking Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration (BISHCA).
Pollina told attendees that there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the path towards a universal health care system in Vermont.
“As we all know, the Vermont Legislature has put us on a path towards a universal health care system. As much as most of us would like to see that happen, there are serious challenges we need to meet. Doing something this big is complicated; it’s important to take the time to do it right,” Pollina said.
The purpose of the forum, he said was to “have a dialogue and learn what we can do about the bill so we can move on with some understanding.”
Kimbell began by introducing the bill Governor Shumlin signed known as Act 48 that calls for a unified system of health care not linked to employment. The bill includes a simplified system of administration and a single-payer model.
Kimbell said the general assembly took the bull by the horns given the scale of the task. “It took four of us to write it and work with the general assembly; implementation is going to take a team,” he said, but the federal timing is adequate since nothing will change in health care until January 2014.
“You’ll hear a lot of noise about health care legislation. There is a lot of money on the table. The legislation that is going to be considered this year is nibbling around the edges of what happened last year; it’s not the guts,” Kimbell said.
Vermont Interfaith Action Coalition member Mary Alice Bisbee said health care has been her interest for over 40 years.
“Health care in our state needs to change; we need to bring Vermont into compliance with national guidelines. It is only the first step in developing a single-payer system by 2017. The Obama administration and congressional delegation are in full support of our efforts. I encourage you to do your own research. Our voices need to be heard,” she said.
Kimbell said, “From a physician’s point of view, physicians and health care workers, all of us have seen the tragedies the current system reliably produces. Barring any meaningful change they will continue. Victims of losing health insurance, families face illness and financial crisis.”
Bennett spoke to the impact of rising health insurance premiums on business expenses.
“The cost of providing health benefits to our employees is out of control; as far as a level playing field, it’s completely unlevel,” he said.
Bennett said his company has faced double-digit health care cost increases over the past 18 years. “In good years it’s maybe 7 or 8 percent, but we’ve also adjusted what we offer from one company to another.”
In addition, he said there are several hidden costs associated with people staying in jobs they hate because of the need for health benefits. By disassociating health care with employment, he said, “we can be a really strong economic driver and compete with other states for business; it’s a quality-of-life issue.”
Bisbee encouraged attendees to read the bill, H.559, online by visiting www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/Bills/Intro/H-559.pdf.
“It’s a blueprint for health. They’ve put a lot of work into this and we need to educate ourselves on what’s going on. It’s very complicated. I encourage you to go to committee hearings and hear some testimony; some of those meetings on health care you can’t even find a chair to sit in,” Bisbee said.
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