Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

AGENDA

Room 17 and Zoom

February 25, 2025 - February 28, 2025

Last Updated 3/18/2025 10:19 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

9:10 AM                   H. 141 - An act relating to fiscal year 2025 budget adjustments

Introduction of proposed amendments

Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, Sponsor

Miranda Gray, Deputy Commissioner, Economic Services Division, Department for Children and Families

Megan Smeaton, Financial Director, Department for Children and Families

9:25 PM                   Adjourn

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

8:30 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Simone Rueschemeyer, Executive Director, Vermont Care Partners

Jill Mazza Olson, Executive Director, VNAs of Vermont

9:00 AM                   S. 36 - An act relating to Medicaid coverage of long-term residential treatment for co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health condition

Chadd Viger, Executive Director, Recovery House, Inc

9:30 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Health care economics

Zack Cooper, Associate Professor of Public Health and Economics, Yale University

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

11:00 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Electronic health records

Beth Anderson, President and CEO, Vermont Health Information Exchange (VITL)

11:17 AM                   Committee Discussion

Digital and social media impacts on youth

George Vana, General Pediatrician; Adult and Child Psychiatrist, VT Consultation and Psychiatry Access Program

11:28 AM                   Committee Discussion

Cell phone policy at Thetford Academy

Charlie Buttrey, Coach, Thetford Academy

11:30 AM                   Committee Discussion

Continued digital and social media impact

Rima Carlson, MD, FAAP, Family Physician, Montpelier

11:40 AM                   S. 63 - An act relating to modifying the regulatory duties of the Green Mountain Care Board

Introduction and walk-through

Sen. Virginia "Ginny" Lyons, Sponsor

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

11:55 PM                   Adjourn

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

Thursday, February 27, 2025

8:30 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Electronic health records

Dr. Craig Jones, MD, Consultant, Healthcare Reform

9:50 AM                   Break

10:00 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Committee discussion

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:40 AM                   S. 63 - An act relating to modifying the regulatory duties of the Green Mountain Care Board

Diane Lanpher, Director of Legislative Affairs, Green Mountain Care Board

Michelle Sawyer, Health Policy Project Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Michael Barber, General Counsel, Green Mountain Care Board

11:00 AM                   S. 36 - An act relating to Medicaid coverage of long-term residential treatment for co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health condition

Substance use disorder continuum of care proposal

Jenney Samuelson, Secretary, Agency of Human Services

Monica Ogelby, Medicaid Director, Agency of Human Services

11:30 AM                   S. 28 - An act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services

Testimony

Sharon Toborg, Policy Analyst, Vermont Right to Life

Alison Despathy, Parent, Danville

David Herlihy, Executive Director, Vermont Board of Medical Practice

12:05 PM                   Adjourn

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

Friday, February 28, 2025

8:30 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Walk-through of draft 1.3

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:10 AM                   Break

9:30 AM                   S. 28 - An act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services

Mark-up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jill Sudhoff-Guerin, Member, Vermont Medical Society

Mike Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

10:00 AM                   S. 126 - An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform

Primary care

Toby Sadkin, MD, Executive Chairperson, Primary Care Health Partners

Jon Asselin, Chief Operating Officer, Primary Care Health Partners

10:30 AM                   S. 27 - An act relating to medical debt relief and excluding medical debt from credit reports

Mark-up and vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association

Ernie Davis, Senior Director-Northeast Govt. Affairs, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

10:40 AM                   S. 18 - An act relating to licensure of freestanding birth centers

Mark-up

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Vermont Department of Health

Shayla Livingston, Member, Vermont Birth Center Coalition

Devon Green, Vice President of Government Relations, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

11:15 AM                   Break

11:23 AM                   S. 18 - An act relating to licensure of freestanding birth centers

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Devon Green, Vice President of Government Relations, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Shayla Livingston, Member, Vermont Birth Center Coalition

11:30 AM                   S. 28 - An act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services

Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

ATTENTION WITNESSES

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If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Kiki Carasi-Schwartz at kcarasi-schwartz@leg.state.vt.us