Senate Health and Welfare to present House amendment: hospital budget reviews not a 'contested case' and appeals routed to Vermont Supreme Court

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee on May 20 agreed to present a House amendment to S.63 that specifies the Green Mountain Care Board’s review, establishment and enforcement of hospital budgets “is not” a contested case and adjusts appeal procedures, while delaying parts of the bill that affect accountable care organization certification.

The amendment matters because it clarifies which procedural rules apply when the board sets or enforces hospital budgets, affect the route and timing for appeals by hospitals, and alters effective dates for certification of certain ACOs — changes that the board says are needed to preserve its public meeting-based budget process.

Jen Harvey, legislative counsel with the Office of Legislative Council, told the committee the House proposal contains two main amendments. First, language restored to…