Lt. Governor Zuckerman Holds Press Conference on Access, Affordability, and Accountability in Healthcare
PRESS RELEASE: October 20, 2020
Lt. Governor Zuckerman Holds Press Conference on Access, Affordability, and Accountability in Healthcare
SOUTH BURLINGTON: Today, Lt. Governor Zuckerman held a press conference differentiating his vision for the future of healthcare in Vermont from the current system.
Lt. Governor Zuckerman began the press conference pointing to the ways in which the current ACO model is not working for Vermonters:
The number of uninsured Vermonters has recently doubled to 7% because of COVID and the economic recession that COVID created. The All Payer ACO Model doesn’t include uninsured persons so it is doing nothing to address that problem.
Vermont’s underinsured rates have been climbing for years. Once again, something not addressed by this ACO.
Ultimately, while the national health care costs rose 121% from 2000 to 2018, Vermont’s rose 167%. And according to Auditor Hoffer, if Vermont’s costs had simply grown at the national rate, we would have saved $1 billion in 2018 alone.
Lt. Governor David Zuckerman said: “The data is clear and the needs of Vermonters are clear: We need a healthcare system that addresses affordability, accountability, and access.”
The campaign provided this graph from Auditor Hoffer’s recent report to demonstrate the increasing discrepancy between the median hourly wage in Vermont with Blue Cross Blue Shield Vermont rates. The graph also includes an additional line noting when Governor Scott became governor in 2017.
Source: Health Care Affordability Memo
David continued by presenting his vision for a shift in priorities around healthcare in Vermont:
“As Governor, I will shift how we look at our healthcare in Vermont. I will focus on the needs of Vermonters. Not the needs of large institutions and unnecessary bureaucracy. I will focus on getting more Vermonters access to preventive and primary care. Because, as the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I support a universal primary care model that - rather than punishing primary care doctors in this state - rewards them and supports them in helping all Vermonters get the care they need before their costs or their health issues get out of hand. “
The Lt. Governor was joined by Auditor Doug Hoffer and Patrick Flood, the former commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, and former deputy secretary of the Agency of Human Services.
You can watch the full press conference on the Zuckerman for VT Facebook page. For Lt. Governor Zuckerman’s full remarks please email Kelt Wilska: kelt@zuckermanforvt.com.
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