Experts are sounding the alarm on health care costs

By Laura Ullman

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Hospitals and health insurers in Vermont are facing insolvency, and patients are getting hit with higher insurance premiums and doctors’ bills. There seems to be a growing sense of urgency over health care costs. Are there any solutions in sight? The answer is unclear. State and federal representatives are trying piecemeal reforms to make health care more affordable and keep our critical access hospitals open, but experts say that may not be enough.

“We are in a perilous situation right now,” said Rep. Alyssa Black, D-Essex.

“The CVMC inpatient psych facility closed in January, the birthing center at Copley is under significant risk of closure, and the Planned Parenthood in St.Johnsbury will close June 3rd,” said Jacob Berkowitz with the UVM Medical Center Support Staff Union.

Critical access hospitals are at risk of bankruptcy, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest insurance provider in the state, is asking permission to raise their insurance premiums by over 20% to avoid insolvency.

“Since 2018, Health insurance premiums in Vermont have grown a gobsmacking 92% compared to the national average of 12%,” Lisa Ventriss with Vermont Health Care 911:

The state is also expecting Congress to cut funding for Medicaid, which insures poor and older Vermonters, around a quarter of the state’s population.

“The status quo is unacceptable. We can’t afford to ignore this crisis,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.

Sanders says he’s doing everything he can to lower pharmaceutical prices and stop cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have proposed the cuts as a way to lower taxes for individuals and businesses.

Full story: https://www.wcax.com