Bill would scale back Green Mountain Care Board oversight, create ACO certification and fees

A bill reviewed at the House Health Care Committee meeting on April 29 would remove several oversight duties from the Green Mountain Care Board and create a new certification-and-fee framework for accountable care organizations operating in Vermont. The bill, S.63 as passed by the Senate, would expand the types of ACOs the board can certify and set one-time and annual fees to support that work.

The bill would eliminate the board's statutory duty to review and approve the statewide health information technology plan and certain budget approvals for Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL, also referred to in testimony as VITAL). It would also change how the board's regulatory costs are allocated and create certification and budget-review fees for ACOs. Diane Lanfer, director of legislative affairs for the Green Mountain Care Board, said the proposals largely came from board staff as housekeeping and workload adjustments.

The measure would broaden the board's certification authority…