House Committee on Health Care

 

AGENDA

 

Room 42 and Zoom

January 30, 2024 - February 2, 2024

Last Updated 2/7/2024 3:14 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-health-care.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

After the Floor                     Lunch and Caucuses

 

1:30 PM                   H. 721 - An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur

Section 7

Sandi Hoffman, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Vermont Health Access

 

-                                   H. 721 - An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur

Sections 4 and 10

Ashley Berliner, Director of Medicaid Policy, Department of Vermont Health Access

MaryKate Mohlman, Co-Chair, Medicaid and Exchange Advisory Committee, Department of Vermont Health Access

Michael Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

-                                   Break

 

3:30 PM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, provider contracts, and collection of cost sharing amounts

Step-therapy (Section 1)

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Nancy Hogue, PharmD, Pharmacy Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

Anne Morris, M.D., President, Vermont Academy of Family Physicians

 

4:30 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

9:00 AM                   Mental Health Advocacy Day

Laurie Emerson, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Vermont

Abigail Hutchinson, Community Member, South Burlington

Diane Bugbee, Family Support Consultant, Vermont Family Network

Katherine Parker, Patient Representative, Vermont Psychiatric Survivors

 

9:55 AM                   Break

 

10:10 AM                   The Mental Health Continuum of Care

Amy Johnson, Government Affairs & Communications Director, Vermont Care Partners

Eric Ruiz, Director of Mental Health and Substance Use, Vermont Care Partners

Simone Rueschemeyer, Executive Director, Vermont Care Partners

Kelsey Stavseth, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Human Services

Baylee Olden, Mental Health Crisis Specialist, Northeast Kingdom Human Services

Tony Stevens, Emergency Services Program Manager, Northwestern Counseling and Support Services

Tammy Miller, Director of Access Hub, Washington County Mental Health Services

Anne Bilodeau, Chief Operating Officer, Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services of Vermont (HCRS)

Christie Everett, LICSW, Director of Operations, Clara Martin Center

Josh Burke, Director of Emergency Services, Northeast Kingdom Human Services

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:15 PM                   H. 721 - An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur

Jessica Barquist, Vice President of Public Affairs, VT, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

Susan Ridzon, Executive Director, Healthfirst, Inc.

Michael Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

Emma Zavez, Health Care Advocate, Office of the Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

 

-                                   H. 721 - An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur

Committee discussion

 

-                                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, provider contracts, and collection of cost sharing amounts

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, February 1, 2024

9:00 AM                   FY 2025 Budget

Request from the Department of Vermont Health Access

Adaline Strumolo, Acting Commissioner, Department of Vermont Health Access

Stephanie Barrett, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Vermont Health Access

Alicia Cooper, Ph.D., Director of Managed Care Operations, Department of Vermont Health Access

 

10:25 AM                   Break

 

10:35 AM                   H. 721 - An act relating to expanding access to Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur

Medicaid Stories

Kate Kanelstein, Director, Vermont Worker's Center

Erin Kellar, Community Member, Burlington

Heather Bauman, Community Member, Charlotte

Abel Luna, Community Member, Burlington

Andy Lindquist, Community Member, Norwich

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:20 PM                   H. 847 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Testimony

Gary DeCarolis, Executive Director, Vermont Recovery Network

Melinda White, Recovery Coach, Turning Point of Franklin County

Roberta Enright, Recovery Coach, Turning Point Center of Addison County

Rep. Dane Whitman, Representative, House Committee On Human Services

Wilda White, Wilda L. White Consulting

Chris Nial, Peer Support Provider, Pathways Vermont

 

1:55 PM                   Break

 

2:05 PM                   24-0641 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Testimony, continued; Committee discussion

Zachary Hughes, Board Vice President, Vermont Psychiatric Survivors

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wilda White, Wilda L. White Consulting

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, February 2, 2024

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

15 minutes after Floor                   FY 2025 Budget

Request from the Department of Mental Health

Emily Hawes, Commissioner, Department of Mental Health

Shannon Thompson, Financial Director, Department of Mental Health

Alison Krompf, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Mental Health

Rep. Tiffany Bluemle, House Committee on Appropriations

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:15 PM                   H. 622 - An act relating to emergency medical services

Walk-through

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Drew Hazelton, Chair, Vermont EMS Advisory Committee

 

2:00 PM                   24-0641 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Committee discussion and possible vote

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

3:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Clare Neal at cneal@leg.state.vt.us

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.