About
The Office of Health Care Reform within the Agency of Human Services coordinates health care reform initiatives across state government. Vermont’s health care reform efforts are designed around four goals:
- Reducing health care costs and cost growth.
- Assuring that all Vermonters have access to and coverage for high quality care.
- Assuring greater fairness and equity in how we pay for health care.
- Improving the health of Vermont’s population.
What do we do?
The Office of Health Care Reform focuses on initiatives that impact health care financing, health care coverage, payment reform, and delivery system reform. See “How can I get more involved?” for further information about current projects.
Where can I get more information?
Health Care Payment and Care Delivery Reform
- The All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model Agreement is an arrangement between Vermont and the federal government that allows Medicare to join Medicaid and commercial insurers to pay differently for health care. For more information, please visit the GMCB Payment Reform Page.
- Vermont is exploring a new program with the federal government called the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development Model – or “AHEAD.” This program would allow Medicare to join Vermont’s health care reform efforts to improve population health, advance health equity, and reduce the growth of health care costs. For more information, please visit this Agency of Human Services AHEAD Model page.
- Vermont is exploring opportunities for a potential future multi-payer arrangement to continue advancement of health care payment reforms. A Health Care Reform Work Group, initially convened in July 2022, is actively discussing financial and care model options. For more information about this Work Group and related subgroups, please visit this Vermont Agency of Human Services Reports Page.
- The Vermont Blueprint for Health designs community-led strategies for improving health and well-being. It includes Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Community Health Teams, the Hub & Spoke system of opioid use disorder treatment, the Pregnancy Intention Initiative, Support and Services at Home (SASH), Self-Management and Healthier Living Workshops, full population data and analytics for policy makers, communities, and practices, and a series of learning labs for providers and community teams. For more information, please visit this Blue Print for Health About Page.
- The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) Payment Reform Unit seeks to transition Vermont Medicaid’s health care revenue model from Fee-for-Service payments to value-based payments with the goal of providing better, more efficient, coordinated care for Vermonters. For more information, please visit this Vermont Health Access' Payment Reform page
- Act 48 of 2011 required the Director of Health Care Reform to oversee the development of a health care workforce development strategic plan that continues efforts to ensure that Vermont has the health care workforce necessary to provide care to all Vermont residents. For more information, please visit Health Care Workforce Development Strategic Plan.
- Act 183 of 2022 created a 3-year limited-service Health Care Workforce Coordinator position for the purpose of supporting the workforce initiatives in Act 183 as well as the Health Care Workforce Strategic Plan. The Coordinator focuses on building educational, clinical, and housing partnerships and support structures to increase and improve health care workforce training, recruitment, and retention.
- Health Care Workforce Data Center
- Current and Recent Grant Opportunities
- Premium Pay for Workforce Recruitment and Retention
- Nursing Apprenticeship and Pipeline Program
- Nurse Preceptor Incentive Grants Program
- Nurse Preceptor Incentive Grants were awarded to Central Vermont Hospital, UVM Medical Center, UVM Home Health Network, Copley Hospital, Lamoille Health Partners, Primary Care Health Partners, Richford Health Center, Southwestern Vermont Hospital, and Thomas Chittenden Health Center.
- Related Vermont Department of Health Workforce Initiatives
- Other AHS Health Care Workforce Initiatives
The Agency of Human Services and its departments are implementing initiatives to enhance, expand, and strengthen Medicaid home and community-based services using funding from Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act. For more information, please visit this website.
Reports and Presentations
Legislative and Other Reports
- Update on Grants for Loan Repayment and Tuition Assistance for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Professionals
- Assessment of Recruitment and Retention Initiatives
- Supporting More Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services through Integration with Primary Care
- Nursing Preceptor Working Group Action Plan
- Update on Premium Pay for Workforce Recruitment and Retention
- Health Services Wait Times Report Findings
- Vermont Health Care Workforce Development Strategic Plan Report (2020, Act 155, amended by 2021, Act 74)
- Nursing Workforce Shortage and Primary Care Physician Scholarship Update
- Report on the Front-Line Employees Hazard Pay Grant Program
- Integration of Social Services
Presentations
- AHEAD Model Update (October 11, 2023)
- All-Payer Model Update (August 2, 2023)
- All-Payer Model Update (June 28, 2023)
- Health Care Workforce Strategic Plan Update (April 19, 2023)
- All Payer Model Update to Legislature (January 18, 2023)
- Health Care Reform in Vermont: An Introduction and Brief History (January 27, 2021)
- The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation announced a new model called States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model. The Office of Health Care Reform and Green Mountain Care Board are exploring how this opportunity may help Vermont further achievement of health care reform goals. For more information, please visit this website.
- The Agency of Human Services submitted an application for the AHEAD Model on behalf of the State of Vermont. For more information, please see the Agency of Human Services’ AHEAD Model website here.
How can I get involved?
- You can provide comments or ask questions at any time. Please submit it them through the Work Group’s Question and Comment Submission Form.
- The Office of Health Care Reform plans to host at least two virtual town hall-type meetings about the federal AHEAD Model in late 2023 and early 2024, for all who are interested in attending. Information about the meetings will be posted here and will be publicized in other forums.