PRESS STATEMENT
February 6, 2012
Contact: Jessica Gingras
Legislative Assistant
802-262-2130
jgingras@vtchamber.com
Vermont Chamber's Health Care Recommendations for Greater Choice and Flexibility Supported by Governor Shumlin
The Vermont Chamber applauds the announcement this morning by Governor Peter Shumlin and Speaker of the House Shap Smith which allows the health care exchange to include more choices for employers in purchasing health insurance for their employees in 2014.
Governor Shumlin and the Speaker are to be congratulated for recognizing the needs of employers and their responsiveness to the business community. Over the past session and into this session, the Vermont Chamber has been a catalyst for a conversation that advocates for this structure as a primary element of health care reform, among other points. This was championed by Sens. Vince Illuzzi and Hinda Miller in the Senate last year and again in their health care bill introduced this year.
Vermont Chamber of Commerce President Betsy Bishop testified last week before the House Health Care Committee on the importance of allowing businesses with 50 or more employees to have the option of purchasing health care outside of the exchange. At this same hearing, Bishop also set the stage for supporting the addition of a “bronze level” plan, which will provide greater choice for plan options and price points for businesses and their employees.
In addition to creating awareness on these issues, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce lobbying team is still working to ensure greater choice by allowing the exchange to be voluntary as envisioned in federal law. It will also be important to include a separation between the small group and individual markets as allowed under federal law to ensure that many small businesses are protected from double digit rate increases as projected by the Administration's Act 48 Integration Report. Click Here to read the Vermont Chamber’s Health Care Testimony
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The Vermont Chamber of Commerce is Vermont’s largest state-wide private, not-for-profit business organization representing nearly every sector of the state's corporate/hospitality community. Our mission is to create an economic climate conducive to business growth and the preservation of the Vermont quality of life.