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House concurs in Senate amendment clarifying Green Mountain Care Board authority over hospital rates
Summary
The Vermont House concurred in the Senate'printed amendment to H.482, a bill that clarifies the Green Mountain Care Board's authority to reduce or reallocate hospital commercial reimbursement rates when insurer solvency is at risk and refines appeal procedures and budget-review language.
The Vermont House on May 23 concurred in the Senate's proposed amendment to H.482, which clarifies the Green Mountain Care Board's authority to adjust a hospital's commercial insurance reimbursement rates when there is a significant risk to an insurer's solvency. The concurrence was agreed to by voice vote.
The floor sponsor, the member from Essex (committee spokesperson), summarized four clarifications the Senate made to the bill: (1) in the board's solvency authority section, an explicit clarification that the board's orders are not considered contested cases while preserving appeal rights under the cited appeal procedure (18 V.S.A. 9381); (2) a directive that the board consider other competing financial obligations of the hospital or insurer (for example, bond covenants) when determining rate reductions; (3) technical cleanup in the hospital budget review statute (18 V.S.A. 9456) to account for significant prior-year revenue deviations; and (4) clarification that any independent observer appointed by the board should have experience and expertise relevant to the circumstances.
The House Health Care Committee reported the Senate'amended strike-all back to the House on a straw poll and recommended concurrence. Members voted by voice to concur in the Senate amendments on the floor.
Ending
The House concurrence completes the chamber's action on H.482; the bill returns to the Senate for final disposition consistent with the Senate amendments.
