Becoming the Best Together: Vermonts Health Care and Reform Initiatives

1
Becoming the Best Together Vermonts Health
Care and Reform Initiatives

• Beatrice Grause R.N., J.D.
• President and CEO
• Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health
  Systems

2
Health Care Reform Environment

• Health Resource Allocation Plan
• Public Reporting of Hospital Performance
• Vermont Blueprint/PACE
• Coalition 21
• Medicaid deficit and Global Commitment
• Statewide Leadership Group
• Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL)
• Legislative proposal of Green Mountain Health
  (H.524)

3
Current Efforts in Vermont

• All groups have agreed to use the Institute of
  Medicine aims as a framework for reform
• Safe
• Timely
• Effective
• Efficient
• Equitable
• Patient-centered

4
What is a sustainable healthcare system?
"In the future, everybody will have fifteen
minutes of health-care coverage"
5
Sustainable Healthcare

• Cost
• Quality
• Access

6
Legislative Highlights

• H. 524 Green Mountain Health
• Incremental expansion of coverage
• Cost-containment
• Health Care Commission
• Investment in system-wide improvements
• HIT
• Vermont Blueprint
• Prescription Drug changes
• Public process in anticipation of next January

7
Legislative Highlights

• Reform Parameters
• Contain costs
• Expand Coverage
• Front-load changes

8
Legislative Outlook

• Health Care Commission
• Health Care Studies
• Finance
• Economic Impact
• Governance and Administration
• Vermont Information Technology Leaders
• Vermont Blueprint for Health

9
VAHHS Health Reform Agenda

• Seven priorities
• Quality improvement patient safety
• Advancing connecting information systems
• Health care finance insurance reform
• Improving peer review and credentialing
• Regulatory reform
• Improving end of life/palliative care
• Developing a strong workforce

10
VITL A quick update

• State appropriated 700,000 FY 2006
• Federal request for 1,000,000
• VITL contract with BISHCA
• VITL Advisory Group and Teams
• Standards and Architecture
• Clinical Functionality and Adoption
• Governance
• Sustainable Financing

11
Reform Realities

• Limited Resources small, rural state
• Average per capita income of 30,534
• Challenging Demographics
• Lowest birthrate
• Top 25 of oldest states
• 19 decline of Vermonters ages 20 34
• We all want the good stuff

12
Strategy for Success

• Avoid polarizing this debate
• Single payer vs. Multi-payer
• Keep the debate fact-based
• Recognize the realities and develop strategies
  that encompass them
• Focus, flexibility and perseverence
• Alignment and enrollment
• Leadership at all levels

13
VAHHS Strategy

• Participate in forums
• Educate legislators
• Bring facts to the table
• Continue to work on our five year plan
• Lead/participate in ongoing efforts to help
  re-engineer our system
• VITL
• Blueprint
• Quality efforts