Vermont Health Care System Faces Crisis as Hospitals Risk Closure and Insurance Rates Surge

Hospitals and health insurers in Vermont are facing insolvency, and patients are getting hit with higher insurance premiums and doctors’ bills. 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. “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 92% compared to the national average of 12%,”  said 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.