The Green Mountain Care Board is working hard at the near impossible task of reducing Vermont health care costs. Many Vermonters are unable to afford the high cost of health care insurance and are falling into medical debt. Since hospitals are a main driver of insurance premiums, UVM Health Network, which includes three Vermont hospitals and three in New York, must reduce their costs to make health insurance affordable.

UVMHN should not be blaming and undermining the decisions of the GMCB by threatening to cut services. The GMCB is a five-member board of health experts appointed by the governor with the responsibility to improve access, affordability and quality of health care for Vermonters. UVMHN should be demonstrating their understanding of the health care crisis in Vermont and cooperate with the GMCB to make health care insurance more affordable. They should find steps to cut costs other than just cutting health care services. For instance, how deeply have they cut their administrative costs?

Mike Fisher, Vermont’s chief health care advocate, recently said, “We desperately need UVM and other hospitals to come to the table in good faith to figure out how we can best serve Vermonters, given the financial crisis we’re in.” Sunny Eappen, accept the challenge, bring UVMH to the table and by partnering with the GMCB, find real solutions to make health care insurance affordable for Vermonters!

Linda Andrews

Bristol