Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

 

AGENDA

 

Room 17 and Zoom

March 10, 2026 - March 13, 2026

Last Updated 3/13/2026 11:57 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-health-and-welfare.

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:00 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Bob Bordone, Senior Fellow, Harvard Law School

Ph.D Peter Pronovost, Chief Quality and Clinical Transformation Officer, University Hospitals - Zoom

 

11:00 AM                   S. 26 - An act relating to prohibiting certain artificial dyes in foods and beverages served or sold at school

Mark-Up

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Anna Seuberling, Environmental Advocate, Vermont Public Interest Research Group

Bill Driscoll, Vice President, Associated Industries of Vermont

 

11:30 AM                   Miscellaneous Judiciary Bill

Review and Discussion of S.193

Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Karen Barber, General Counsel, Department of Mental Health

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

 

 

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

8:30 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to an approval process for reducing or eliminating hospital services

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Jill Mazza Olson, Medicaid and Health Systems Director, Agency of Human Services

Emily Brown, Executive  Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Mike Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

 

9:00 AM                   S. 239 - An act relating to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group

Mark-Up

Michele Childs, Team Lead Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lindsay Barron, Director of Policy & Planning, Department for Children and Families, Family Services Division

 

10:00 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Brown, Executive  Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Alena Berube, Director of Policy, Green Mountain Care Board

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Michael Barber, General Counsel, Green Mountain Care Board

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association

 

11:00 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

John M.  Saroyan, M.D., Executive Director, Blueprint for Health, Agency of Human Services

Mara Donohue, Assistant Director, Blueprint for Health, Agency of Human Services

M.D. Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

Emily Brown, Executive  Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Elizabeth Hawgood, Medicaid Operations Administrator, Agency of Human Services

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, March 12, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 194 - An act relating to designated and specialized service agency payment methodology

Kelsey Stavseth, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Human Services

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

 

9:30 AM                   S. 154 - An act relating to health insurance coverage for biomarker testing

Michael Rollo, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Adrienne  Frederick, Director, State Government & Regional Affairs, AdvaMed

 

9:45 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Brown, Executive  Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association

 

10:25 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

10:30 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to an approval process for reducing or eliminating hospital services

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Brown, Executive Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

 

10:40 AM                   Break

 

10:50 AM                   S. 64 - An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Heather Shouldice, President, Capital Complex Committee

Dr. Dean Barcelow, O.D., President, Vermont Optometric Association

 

11:20 AM                   S. 154 - An act relating to health insurance coverage for biomarker testing

Mark-Up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jenny Horgan, Public Policy Manager, Alzheimer's Association, Vermont Chapter

Jon Bouton, Person with Lived Experience, Hartford

 

11:30 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to an approval process for reducing or eliminating hospital services

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, March 13, 2026

8:30 AM                   S. 64 - An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

8:45 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

8:50 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Courtney Harrness, Director of Legislative and Government Relations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

 

9:10 AM                   S. 142 - An act relating to a pathway to licensure for internationally trained physicians and medical graduates

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jessica Schifano, Policy Director, Department of Health

 

9:20 AM                   S. 154 - An act relating to health insurance coverage for biomarker testing

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:00 AM                   Miscellaneous Judiciary Bill

Review and Discussion on S.193. This is a joint hearing with Senate Judiciary. This meeting will be live streamed on the Senate Health and Welfare channel.

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Karen Barber, General Counsel, Department of Mental Health

Robyn Hodges, Senior Vice President, Wellpath

 

10:45 AM                   S. 239 - An act relating to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group

Mark-Up and Vote

Michele Childs, Team Lead Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:00 AM                   S. 26 - An act relating to prohibiting certain artificial dyes in foods and beverages served or sold at school

Vote

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

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.

 

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If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Calysta Koppenhaver at Calysta.Koppenhaver@vtleg.gov