Vermont H 267: An act relating to prohibiting the land application of septage and biosolids

Bill Text

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VT LEG #380517 v.1
H.267 1
Introduced by Representative McFaun of Barre Town 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Health; hospitals; Vermont Hospital Security Plan 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish the 6
Vermont Hospital Security Plan, which would provide Vermont residents with 7
coverage for health care services received in a hospital and would provide 8
payments to hospitals for health care services delivered. The Plan would 9
include the annual development of a global hospital budget for the State and 10
individual hospital budgets for each hospital located in Vermont. 11
An act relating to the Vermont Hospital Security Plan 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. 33 V.S.A. chapter 18, subchapter 3 is added to read: 14
Subchapter 3. Vermont Hospital Security Plan 15
§ 1841. PURPOSE 16
The purposes of this subchapter are to provide all Vermonters with access 17
to and coverage for health care services delivered in hospitals and to provide 18
an opportunity to reduce hospital billing processes and other unnecessary 19
administrative costs. The General Assembly recognizes that the health care 20

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system is in crisis and that most Vermonters do not have the financial ability to 1
pay for increasing health insurance premiums or for the rising costs of health 2
care. Vermonters need access to hospital care, regardless of insurance 3
coverage or ability to pay. In addition, the State must seek the financial 4
sustainability of the health care system, including reducing health care 5
spending and transaction costs. The General Assembly recognizes that health 6
care reform is needed to provide coverage of essential health care services to 7
Vermonters. 8
§ 1842. DEFINITIONS 9
As used in this subchapter: 10
(1) “Agency” means the Agency of Human Services. 11
(2) “Board” means the Green Mountain Care Board. 12
(3) “Health care services” means services for the diagnosis, prevention, 13
treatment, cure, or relief of a physical or mental health condition, including 14
counseling, procedures, products, devices, and medications. 15
(4) “Hospital” has the same meaning as in 18 V.S.A. § 1902 and may 16
also include hospitals located outside Vermont. 17
(5) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Human Services. 18
(6) “Vermont resident” means an individual who is domiciled in 19
Vermont as evidenced by an intent to maintain a permanent dwelling place in 20

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Vermont indefinitely and to return to Vermont if temporarily absent, coupled 1
with an act or acts consistent with that intent. 2
§ 1843. VERMONT HOSPITAL SECURITY PLAN 3
(a)(1) The Agency of Human Services or designee shall administer the 4
Vermont Hospital Security Plan to provide Vermont residents with access to 5
and coverage for health care services received in a hospital and for payments to 6
hospitals for health care services provided. 7
(2) Vermonters who are eligible for or are enrolled in a publicly funded 8
health care program shall be eligible for coverage of any benefits provided by 9
the Vermont Hospital Security Plan that are not covered by the publicly funded 10
health care program. As used in this subdivision, “publicly funded health care 11
program” means Medicare, Medicaid, Dr. Dynasaur, VPharm, another 12
Medicaid-waiver program, or any other program providing health benefits that 13
is funded in whole or in part with federal funds. 14
(b) The Vermont Hospital Security Plan shall: 15
(1) provide each hospital in this State with a negotiated annual payment 16
based on the budget of the individual hospital for health care services provided 17
by that hospital to all patients, including patients who are not Vermont 18
residents; 19
(2) provide for the collection of payments for health care services 20
provided by hospitals in this State to patients who are not Vermont residents, 21

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which may be carried out by the Agency or by a third-party administrator 1
under contract with the Agency for this purpose; and 2
(3) provide for payments to out-of-state hospitals for health care 3
services delivered to Vermont residents. 4
(c) The Agency shall establish by rule income-sensitized deductibles, co-5
payments, an annual hospital care fee, or other cost-sharing amounts and 6
mechanisms applicable to the Vermont Hospital Security Plan established by 7
this subchapter. 8
(d) A beneficiary aggrieved by an adverse decision of the Agency may 9
appeal to the Human Services Board pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 3090. 10
(e) Vermont residents receiving health care services at a hospital shall not 11
be balance billed or otherwise charged for receiving the services except to the 12
extent of any applicable cost-sharing amounts established by the Agency by 13