For years, leaders in Washington have been sounding the alarm about rising health care costs in the U.S. On Friday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders met face-to-face with insurance companies and hospital providers to talk and try to find out if there is anything that can be done to reduce costs. Sanders didn’t hold back when talking to people like BlueCross BlueShield Vermont President Don George and UVM Medical Center President Steve Leffler during a roundtable discussion. He threw out many pointed questions about rising healthcare costs and what his part is doing to fix the problem. “What are you gonna do about it?” Sanders would say multiple times to the various healthcare players in the room. Rising healthcare costs have had a major impact on Gina Akley’s small “Trow & Holden” tool shop in Barre. Akley said she is under one of BlueCross BlueShield Vermont’s insurance plans. Because her store is unionized, Akley has to offer her 16 employees the highest plan. However, because she believes insurance costs are so high, Akley said it is more profitable for her to pay her employees. “If all my employees were covered, my costs would be $430,000,” Akley said. “With the 19% increase next year, if all my employees took it, my healthcare costs would be half a million dollars. I’m a $3 million a year company.” Don George, president of BlueCross BlueShield Vermont, said one reason for the increase. The increase is due to what he describes as an alarming trend in chronic and complex medical problems since the COVID-19 pandemic. George said those problems can cost up to four times as much, which is why premium increases are in the double digits. “It’s causing an increase in the proliferation of prescription drugs, an increase in the use of medical services and an increase in the use of more intensive health care services,” George said. Sanders said that while he understands this is a national problem, he believes health care leaders in the Green Mountain State lack the urgency to fight for improvements. UVM Medical Center President Steve Leffler said they don’t have the clout to fight drug companies over prescription costs. We’re not even a blimp on the screen,” Leffler said. “That million-dollar drug we tried to negotiate, they told us, ‘Don’t buy it if you don’t want to.'” Owen Foster, part of the Green Mountain Care Board, said hospitals also have no incentive to fight because they are benefiting. “If you have a retail pharmacy and you pay $170 million for drugs, you sell them to your patients for $240 million, the hospital makes $70 million,” Foster said. Progress can be achieved. He fears that if not, it will only add to the reasons to drive people out of Vermont. “Speaking for the vast majority of people in our state, the status quo is not working. We have to change it,” Sanders said. The roundtable also discussed the nursing shortage, such as how to recruit and retain more nurses in the Green Mountain State. Leffler said investing in clinical educators, more clinical spaces and making the testing process more accessible would help make progress. He said broad issues, such as the housing crisis and lack of affordable child care, still make it difficult to recruit younger health care workers in Vermont.
BURLINGTON, Vt. —
For years now, Washington leaders have been sounding the alarm about rising health care costs in the U.S.
On Friday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders met face-to-face with insurance companies and hospital providers to talk and try to determine if anything can be done to reduce costs.
Sanders didn’t hold back when talking to people like BlueCross BlueShield Vermont President Don George and UVM Medical Center President Steve Leffler during a roundtable discussion.
He asked a lot of pointed questions about rising healthcare costs and what they are doing on their part to fix the problem.
“What are you gonna do about it?” Sanders would say multiple times to the various healthcare players in the room.
Rising healthcare costs have had a big impact on Gina Akley’s small “Trow & Holden” tool shop in Barre.
Akley said he is under one of BlueCross BlueShield Vermont’s insurance plans.
Because his store is unionized, Akley has to offer his 16 employees his highest plan.
However, because she believes insurance costs are so high, Akley said it is more cost-effective for her to pay her employees.
“If all my employees were covered, my costs would be $430,000,” Akley said. “With the 19% increase next year, if all my employees took it, my healthcare costs would be half a million dollars. I’m a $3 million a year company.”
BlueCross BlueShield Vermont President Don George said one reason for the increase is what he describes as an alarming trend in chronic and complex medical problems since the COVID-19 pandemic.
George said those issues can cost up to four times as much, which is why his premium increases are in the double digits.
“It’s causing an increase in the proliferation of prescription drugs, an increase in the use of medical services and an increase in the use of more intensive health care services,” George said.
Sanders said that while he understands this is a national issue, he feels health care leaders in the Green Mountain State lack the urgency to fight for improvements.
UVM Medical Center President Steve Leffler said they don’t have the clout to fight drug companies over prescription costs.
“Even though we’re big in the state of Vermont, we’re not even a blimp on the screen,” Leffler said. “That million-dollar drug we tried to negotiate, they told us, ‘Don’t buy it if you don’t want to.'”
Owen Foster, part of the Green Mountain Care Board, said hospitals also have no incentive to fight because they are making a profit.
“If you have a retail pharmacy and you pay $170 million for drugs, you sell them to your patients for $240 million, the hospital makes $70 million,” Foster said.
Sanders hopes progress can be made.
He fears that if not, it will only increase the reasons to expel people from Vermont.
“Speaking for the vast majority of people in our state, the status quo is not working. We have to change it,” Sanders said.
The roundtable also discussed the nursing shortage, such as how to recruit and retain more nurses in the Green Mountain State.
Leffler said investing in clinical educators, more clinical spaces and making the testing process more accessible would help moving forward.
She said broad issues, such as the housing crisis and lack of affordable child care, still make it difficult to recruit younger healthcare workers in Vermont.
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