Lawmakers review bill to boost primary care access, set 15% spending target

Representative Herb Olsen walked a legislative committee through H 680, a bill to establish a voluntary primary care access reform program that would pool payer contributions, provide capitated per-member-per-month payments to participating primary care practices and set an initial statewide primary care spending target of 15 percent to be met by Jan. 1, 2029. Olsen framed the proposal as a way to increase access while reallocating existing healthcare dollars rather than raising total system spending.

The bill, as explained by Jen KBY of the Office of Legislative Council, directs the Agency of Human Services in coordination with the Green Mountain Care Board and other entities to operate a payment pool funded by a portion of commercial premiums, premium equivalents from participating payers and, as permitted under…