[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6351733,"mediaKeyId","2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4","parentId",2227496,"title","Committee hears testimony on H.35 to permanently unmerge individual and small-group insurance markets","audioSeconds",605,"startMs",2086770,"endMs",2692720,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4&start=2086&end=2692","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4/thumbnail_2086770.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6351733/Vermont/Committee-hears-testimony-on-H35-to-permanently-unmerge-individual-and-small-group-insurance-markets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351733-ad3741f0eea602752fe436035275d7b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770909269&Signature=KoSP7Rugw77j3W80HjINrBH~cBremufmpSTLwoo~74N7nL6VCwCYm-BAgUhE7E9wqHoK3oyQmzOgQcKZZZAXMJ46R7OiL-p5ikki8el-cUOHCEEAkE5Jl4P8ZXyudRNcrgfrqeqY~Qce3Us5gIWQzGnz7oZUc~4cVhdvi6bquFmvuxw8JnRYn2NezTR1IWbNz-AP~EGPVgLVUGYQJnpoLYI94bZlOXIgADL~BkM95wotcFtYepVPdYH1jn3u4uzcntuP5FXmPHUYcavElfdngk4Hu4vuMeHwxRzy67kMmdynYLEPyOUYMhRSbpKopeHH1rTv191kCsykTYgddlWaEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-05T19:30:22Z","article","Legislative counsel, regulators and stakeholder witnesses described H.35, a bill that would permanently unmerge Vermont’s individual and small-group health insurance markets, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing.

“As the chair said, this is H.35. This is an act relating to unmerging the individual and small group health insurance markets,” Jen Carter of the Office of Legislative Counsel told the committee, outlining statutory cleanups and the substantive change: separating community rating and guaranteed-issue rules between the two markets and setting an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.

Carter explained the bill removes obsolete pre-2016 language, clarifies how carriers may offer direct enrollment, and inserts separate guaranteed-issue provisions requiring carriers to accept all individuals in the individual market and all small employers and their employees in the small-group market. The bill also specifies that a carrier’s community rating for individual-market premiums will be determined separately from its small-group premiums.

Witnesses emphasized timing and market effects. Emily Brown of the Department of Financial Regulation said, “The department supports H.35, which would permanently unmerge the individual and small group marketing, and we believe that this would be beneficial for stabilizing… small groups and individuals.” She added she did not have data on outcomes if enhanced federal subsidies expire.

A representative from the health-care advocacy community (name not specified in the transcript) told the panel their group supports permanent unmerging, saying failure to pass the bill could raise premiums for small employers while the individual market has tools — including federal subsidies and the so-called silver-loading strategy — to address affordability. Blue Cross’s Sarah Teachout also backed the bill, telling the committee insurers are already preparing 2026 plan filings and prefer clarity: without the change insurers would face combined scenarios for merged/unmerged markets and with/without federal subsidies.

Committee members asked technical questions about community rating and the practical differences between individual and small-group purchasers. Carter and witnesses explained the individual market typically includes people whose employers do not offer coverage; small-group purchasers are employees of firms that offer fully insured plans. Brown and witnesses noted that the individual market currently tends to have higher claim experience and that federal premium tax credits apply to individuals but generally not to small-group purchasers.

The hearing record noted the enhanced federal premium tax credits enacted during the pandemic are scheduled to expire at the end of the calendar year unless Congress acts; witnesses told senators that uncertainty increases the importance of a clear statutory framework. Committee members and witnesses also referenced a DFR analysis (the committee was told the DFR/actuary report is available on the department’s reports page) and asked staff to circulate it.

No formal committee vote was recorded during the session; staff said the bill is time sensitive because insurers are already designing plans and developing rates for the 2026 plan year and need statutory clarity.

The committee scheduled further consideration and indicated it would invite additional technical witnesses and circulate actuarial analyses ahead of any action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Finance - 2025-02-05 - 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Jen Carter of the Office of Legislative Counsel told the Senate Finance Committee that H.35 would permanently separate the individual and small-group health insurance markets and set separate community rating and guaranteed-issue rules, effective Jan. 1, 2026.","taxTitle","Finance, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",38150,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6351738,"Public Service commissioner details recusals, disclosures during confirmation hearing",477,66050,543940,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4&start=66&end=543","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4/thumbnail_66050.jpg","/articles/6351738/Vermont/Public-Service-commissioner-details-recusals-disclosures-during-confirmation-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351738-0372ebc2067d27cea200c9a656a17643/orig.mp4?Expires=1770909269&Signature=g83shM32iLw6CWeRv1IyIzvdStzRO9kkoiiETGsmrop0AdSKsURJD4MssLsX1s~D00nMll3g3Fj~-5vrLy-GhLbYrDmqZpxFeE9MmfnCgaLGUIVneN2AOKEsgXV2cGZU6vRDtHGNe8axQSrmBvV7WslLx31vgfhJD5eemqcUNNqrWXJPwkDv4KxjkHz-EjKwzDoM7N1UXj5M6y5fyaGS9EuDySw7PTA5yGQIrEXcWPuaSTuPd74t~Fz56bYMvw5~ZN1eMM4OBx15bTopk1XZRa9wZ1AGGtg1zUfXpg9g6TtieUuzhjKFuZk4jQVZP3r2dr9HhzMCXIMFQaJ2kFmCjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carrick Johnson, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service, told the Senate Finance Committee that he has disclosed his finances, consulted legal counsel and will recuse himself from proceedings that could affect the financial interests of his former employer.

Johnson said, “For the record, my name is Carrick Johnson, commissioner of the Department of Public Service, and our role is to advocate on behalf of customers, ratepayers, the public in proceedings before the public utility commission.” He told senators he had no ongoing provision of professional services or board participation with his former employer and that his retirement accounts do not hold stock in the company.

The committee pressed Johnson about potential appearances of conflict. Senator Hart noted that even without a direct financial tie “there might still be the appearance of [a conflict],” and asked whether Johnson had sought guidance on recusals. Johnson said he had his office’s general counsel review active matters and asked Eunice Porter, identified in the hearing as the department’s general counsel, to coordinate further review. He said that where matters before the Public Utility Commission would affect the former employer’s financial interest — for example, on certain debt or equity placements or on specific investigatory proceedings — “I’m gonna recuse myself for that.”

Johnson told the committee he will document those determinations in a memo for the record and follow any further guidance from the department’s legal counsel and the governor’s office. He also said he reached out informally for a second opinion from a private attorney and that he considers the state Ethics Commission a resource that can provide confidential guidance.

Committee members praised the steps taken and stressed the importance of a paper trail. The chair and other senators said it is difficult in a small state to find experts without prior industry connections, and they emphasized due diligence by the governor’s office and the Ethics Commission.

The session included no formal vote on the confirmation; senators framed the exchange as part of the committee’s due diligence prior to any decision.

Looking ahead, Johnson said he will provide the committee with a written memo identifying specific matters from which he will recuse himself and will continue coordinating with department and governor’s office counsel if further conflicts or appearance issues arise.","Carrick Johnson, commissioner of the Department of Public Service, told the Senate Finance Committee he has disclosed financial information, consulted counsel and will recuse himself from matters that affect his former employer’s financial interests.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6351728,"Lawmakers press for modeled roadmap before wholesale school funding overhaul",527,856250,1384150,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4&start=856&end=1384","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2227496-5f66d35eeff41838ab2f4d50d2ff25c4/thumbnail_856250.jpg","/articles/6351728/Vermont/Lawmakers-press-for-modeled-roadmap-before-wholesale-school-funding-overhaul","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6351728-b9cc4f549c9926227789ae8b6c046a37/orig.mp4?Expires=1770909269&Signature=PxCTh7be5LMNBvLE8X1GZHIF4lOyFY40StzO3PUedpYPJgJzv-AiIz4xAfu63QzKIRllt~HR-gQYhS3JIa0pht0Ap2Z7-6MFQBs5z~Jar827qcnmpPY0m8RDdtc1Fp3Uqh41YalIuhnymWUFdS1e2e51Kl~dXRTxX3Usg9ievO6TNw5~X7tU82PBftAjQKp6UDj-fPsmguKsWHenjTaidykwM~Nnyy3FD6Cvh4IVLJtymZ237pqkBZe9dBPhdn1gbHDY6VPBanYze4SxEfOu6IOdX58qm0-XcvVI97dQUNJsfK~AxaPNe4Zoh2yN1IyGia35QZk8Th-kATBcwe8~Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Senate Finance Committee urged staff and the administration to provide modeled scenarios and a clear roadmap before advancing major reforms to Vermont’s school funding system.

The chair and several senators said a funding formula, taxation changes and governance restructuring must be modeled together so the committee can project district funding, tax rates and impacts on students. “We are going to have to have some idea about what we’re looking at,” one senator said, adding that without models she “can’t vote on something that I haven’t seen modeled out.”

Committee members recounted prior work on weights and models and said the Agency of Education (AOE) has not presented a complete set of analyses. Julia (surname not specified in the transcript), who the committee expects to provide a fiscal analysis of district grand lists, was described as planning to appear to provide more data. Senators emphasized that reforms should be sequenced carefully and include “check back” accountability measures so the state can verify intended outcomes.

Discussion covered trade-offs: potential savings from administrative consolidation and central office changes versus risks of forced consolidation and impacts on small/rural schools. One senator noted Maine’s experience with forced consolidations during its Act 46 process, while others cautioned that closures and consolidation have complex local effects and that health-care costs and personnel are major cost drivers. Committee members asked staff to identify technical witnesses and to seek interstate comparisons, with one member suggesting Maine or other New England states as contacts.

Members agreed on the need for a multi-year roadmap rather than a single-session push; they also signaled openness to interim steps such as moving certain line items off the education fund to lower the education tax rate, but said any shifts must be modeled to avoid unintended consequences. The committee did not take votes during the discussion and asked staff to refine agendas and bring back technical analyses and witnesses for further deliberation.

The committee scheduled subsequent meetings to continue technical review and modeling work.","Senators told staff they will not support sweeping school-funding changes without modeled fiscal outcomes that combine funding formula, taxation and governance reforms; members called for a roadmap and rigorous checkbacks before major statutory changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears testimony on H.35 to permanently unmerge individual and small-group insurance markets

Public Service commissioner details recusals, disclosures during confirmation hearing

Lawmakers press for modeled roadmap before wholesale school funding overhaul