House approves S.28 expanding shield protections for legally protected health care services

The Vermont House on Thursday approved S.28, “an act relating to access to certain legally protected health care services,” advancing technical changes its sponsors say strengthen safeguards for patients and providers who seek or provide legally protected reproductive and gender-affirming health care. The third-reading vote was 97 in favor and 43 opposed.

The bill’s reporter from the House Health Care Committee, the member from Winooski, told the chamber the measure is intended to fill technical gaps in existing “shield” laws (Acts 13 and 14) and to extend reciprocity and consumer protections without adding new services. “This bill does not add new services nor does it expand reproductive services or gender affirming care,” the member said during the committee report, describing sections that address reciprocity with other states, exemptions from public-records disclosure and definitions of unprofessional conduct for regulated health professions.

Supporters said the bill clarifies application of protections for providers licensed under both the Office of Professional Regulation and the Board of Medical Practice, narrows circumstances under which protected health information may be disclosed to governments outside Vermont, and broadens the Consumer Protection Act to cover misleading advertising by any health-care provider. The reporter also described provisions intended to protect prescribers and pharmacists by allowing redaction of prescriber names on fulfilled prescriptions for medications used in…