Senate adopts conference report on broad health care payment and delivery reforms

The Vermont Senate accepted the committee of conference report on S.126, an act to reform health care payment and delivery, after committee leaders outlined agreed changes and implementation timelines.

The bill tasks the Green Mountain Care Board with authority to pursue reference-based pricing and global hospital budgets beginning in 2027 if resources are available, directs development of a statewide health care delivery strategic plan, creates a Vermont steering committee for comprehensive primary health care, and provides targeted grants and reporting requirements to support interoperability and cost-containment work.

Senator from Chittenden, reporting for the Committee of Conference, said the conference committee’s agreement preserves the Senate’s core policy aims while incorporating some House changes. He said section 2 assigns duties to the Green Mountain Care Board, including authority to establish both reference-based pricing and global budgeting beginning in 2027 and continuing through the implementation window described in the bill. The reporter said reference-based pricing…