- The University of Vermont Health Network has announced that it will open three dialysis centres in Vermont.
- The Green Mountain Care Committee has approved a budget adjustment that will allow the University of Vermont Medical Center to increase net patient revenues to keep the center open.
- UVMMC's leadership expressed gratitude for the decision and apologised for the uncertainty surrounding dialysis centres in recent months.
University of Vermont Health Network University The announcement was made on Friday, and it was announced that dialysis centres in Newport, Rutland and St. Albans are open. Green Mountain Care Board Increase the revenue cap for UVM Medical Centers to include revenue from the Centers.
Green Mountain Care Board Chair Owen Foster made a motion at a board meeting Friday morning to approve budget adjustments requested by UVMMC. Because they have to travel further for the life-saving care they need.
Dr. Stephen Leffler, president and chief operating officer of UVMMC, said in a statement:
Dialysis Centre patients and staff suffer from uncertainty for several months
Leffler also acknowledged the uncertainty that dialysis patients and staff have endured over the past few months.
“We sincerely apologize for the stress and anxiety people are feeling while working to identify progress in this important service,” Loeffler said. “We will work with regulators, Vermont, community hospitals and other partners to work towards solving the most pressing healthcare challenges.”
UVM Health Network said on Friday after investigating options including migrating operations to other providers at dialysis centres, it was revealed that other organizations cannot take on services without significant financial losses. Ta. UVM Medical Center will continue to maintain these losses while looking for opportunities to reduce the cost of providing dialysis to Vermonters.
UVM Health Network threatened to close dialysis centres to meet revenue caps imposed by the Green Mountain Care Board
UVM Health Network Announced in November The dialysis center will be closed as part of an effort to trim $122 million in employment and patient services from the fiscal year 2025 budget in order to comply with budget restrictions imposed by the Green Mountain Care Board.
At the time, GMCB issued responses promptly, did not approve reductions, and to better understand the rationale for reductions and how to evaluate alternatives, they said they had to “reach out to UVMMC.” “I did.” As those It was identified in the GMCB budget and enforcement order.“
” The GMCB has approved the $1.9 billion budget for UVMMC for FY25. “We have an increase of $64 million in UVMMC's FY24 budget,” the statement said. “As specified in the budget order, the GMCB has found that UVMMC has a considerable opportunity to improve cost management and manage excessively high prices that charge, compared to other hospitals. Vermont is insured.”
The Green Mountain Care Commission is Vermont's independent health care regulator, responsible for hospital budget approvals, increasing access while reducing state health care costs.
The GMCB capped the amount of “net patient revenue” that each hospital can receive each year, and fined UVMMC in 2023, exceeding $80 million.
Dr Sunil Eappen, CEO of UVM Health Network, said in November that when net patient revenues fell to the ceiling, “there is no other way than to reduce care.”
Contact Dan D'Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @dandambrosiovt.
