Committee Flags $11 Million Green Mountain Care Board Settlement for Nonhospital Primary Care

The Joint Fiscal Committee reviewed a Senate proposal to account for an $11 million settlement from the Green Mountain Care Board intended for nonhospital primary care providers and requested a report back on how the funds are distributed.

Why it matters: the settlement money could overlap with current appropriations for primary care; the committee wants a report to identify duplications and possible reallocation opportunities.

Grady Nixon of the Joint Fiscal Office summarized the settlement language, saying the settlement provides $11,000,000 to nonhospital primary care providers and that the Green Mountain Care Board and the University of Vermont Health Network would collaborate next year on distribution. The committee asked for a report describing how that $11,000,000 is allocated to unaffiliated nonhospital primary care providers so the legislature can identify any duplication with appropriations already in the budget.

Committee members discussed examples of possible uses, including reopening primary care practices that had closed and supporting residency programs such as the Maple Mountain family medicine residency. Members noted the report could show whether funds overlap with existing appropriations and, if so, whether those duplicative amounts could be repurposed.

Discussion only: the committee did not vote to reallocate funds; it directed staff to request the distribution report and to assess duplication with current appropriations.

Next steps: Joint Fiscal Office staff will seek the distribution plan from the Green Mountain Care Board and the network and will report back to the committee.