Latest news with #Vermonters'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vermont passes law to exclude medical debt from credit reports
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Governor Phil Scott signed a bill Thursday passed by the Vermont legislature that will eliminate up to $100 million in medical debt, but not without voicing his concerns. Senate backs bill to pay some Vermonters' medical debt Senate Bill 27 (S. 27) follows in the footsteps of states like Rhode Island, which passed its own medical debt relief program in October of last year. It eliminates some medical debt for low- and medium-income Vermonters by purchasing it 'at fair market value', and forbids credit agencies from including medical debt on their reports. Read the full text of the bill hereDownload Though the Governor signed the bill, he wrote in a letter to the General Assembly that care needs to be taken for the program to be effective in the future. 'With a looming healthcare crisis and our growing crisis of affordability in Vermont,' wrote Governor Scott, 'we should anticipate this debt financing program to grow which raises significant concerns about future appropriations and where the funding will come from. 'Finally, now that we have created this million-dollar program, we may be disincentivizing repayment because of a misperception that 'the State' will eventually pay for it.' The bill was proposed in January and endorsed by State Treasurer Mike Pieciak. It was passed unanimously by the Senate in March. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
21-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Medical Debt to Be Forgiven for Thousands Under New Proposal: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Vermont bill that would eliminate tens of millions of dollars in medical debt for people in Vermont is a step closer to becoming law. Why It Matters According to the Vermont State Treasurer, more than 1 in 10 people in the Green Mountain State hold medical debt. Nationwide, approximately 14 million people owe more than $1,000 in medical debt, and about 3 million people owe medical debt of over $10,000, according to KFF Health. What To Know The Vermont House of Representatives approved a measure on Friday that "allocates $1 million to contract with a nonprofit to purchase and forgive certain medical debts and prohibit reporting medical debt to credit agencies." The bill has already passed the state Senate. The bill also enhances consumer protections by aiming to ensure fair practices in medical debt collection and by increasing oversight of how medical debt is reported and utilized. Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak said the proposal will eliminate some $100 million of medical debt for more than 60,000 moderate- and low-income people in Vermont. Such debts will also be prohibited from showing on Vermonters' credit reports, he said. The proposal was first made in January, with Peiciak spearheading the effort alongside two Democrats: Senator Ginny Lyons and Representative Alyssa Black. Stock image of a stethoscope laid over U.S. currency. Stock image of a stethoscope laid over U.S. currency. GETTY What People Are Saying Vermont Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski: "Vermonters should not face financial peril because they sought needed medical treatment and ended up falling into medical debt. With the passage of S.27, we are taking a powerful step to relieve that burden, protecting families from unfair credit penalties and showing that compassion and fiscal responsibility can go hand in hand. This bill is about dignity, economic fairness, and giving Vermonters the opportunity for a fresh start." Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak said in a press release: "Vermont has some of the highest health care costs in the country, putting many Vermonters at risk of bankruptcy from a medical emergency through no fault of their own. Our proposal will eliminate medical debt and provide life-changing relief to tens of thousands of Vermonters." Representative Alyssa Black, chair of the Vermont House Health Care Committee, said in January: "Medical debt doesn't reflect someone's financial responsibility. It's a reflection of the gaps in our health care system. By removing it from credit reports, we're giving people a chance to rebuild their lives without medical debt holding them back." What Happens Next A third reading of the bill will take place on Tuesday, before it heads to the Senate for consideration of minor amendments. Pieciak said he believes that the "Senate will concur with those amendments pretty quickly, and then the bill will go to the governor for his consideration."
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Welch leads effort to repeal Trump tariffs with support of key Republican senator
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, is leading an effort to reassert Congress' control of trade policy by terminating the emergency that President Donald Trump declared in order to impose global tariffs on products Americans buy from other countries, including a tariff of 10% on all imported goods, and 145% on Chinese-made goods. "The President's reckless global trade war has already gone far beyond everyone's worst predictions," Welch said in a news release. "In just a matter of days, President Trump has thrown the economy into chaos and wiped out Vermonters' retirement funds − all in an apparent attempt to achieve deeply misguided foreign policy goals. Congress must stand up and reassert our constitutional role in setting trade policy before Trump's tariffs ruin more lives and livelihoods." In addition to support from a group of leading Senate Democrats, the legislation is being supported by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. "Tariffs are taxes, and the power to tax belongs to Congress − not the president," Paul said in a news release. "Our founders were clear: tax policy should never rest in the hands of one person. Abusing emergency powers to impose blanket tariffs not only drives up costs for American families but also tramples on the Constitution. It's time Congress reasserts its authority and restores the balance of power." Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, said in a news release that Trump's "trade chaos" has put America's entire economy at the mercy of "one man's social media account." "Congress can't sit on its hands while (Trump) slaps a new 10 percent tax on everything families buy, and leaves businesses and seniors in limbo until the next tariff flip-flop," Wyden said. "Congress needs to pass our bipartisan bill, end the tariff rollercoaster, and restore Congress' constitutional authority over trade." Under Senate rules, the measure will receive a vote on the Senate floor shortly after the Senate returns from a state work period later this month. If enacted, the resolution would terminate the emergency that Trump declared, and reverse Trumps tariffs of 10% on all imported goods and 145% on Chinese-made goods, which have led to thousands of workers being laid off, as well as other countries imposing their own tariffs on U.S.-made goods. Contact Dan D'Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@ Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Bill to repeal Trump's tariffs has support of Republican Rand Paul
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vermont public safety commissioner backs governor's bill
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22 FOX44) – Vermont's public safety commissioner says she supports Governor Phil Scott's public safety bill. In an opinion article released Tuesday, Jennifer Morrison commended the 'common sense, measured approach to restoring balance.' Within the op-ed, Morrison proposed three reforms including revoking bail for repeat offenders, repealing policies like 'Raise the Age' and ending 'catch and release' practices. 'People feel like their voice and the community's voice has been lost in the conversation about how to keep our community safe, and they're not feeling safe,' said the Commissioner. Morrison says she believes many out-of-state offenders are flocking to Vermont over what appears to be a lack of accountability over serious offenses— something she hopes a continuous collaboration with lawmakers can fix. But at the end of the day, the commissioner says, she hopes her piece will keep these issues at the forefront of Vermonters' minds. 'We're asking everyday Vermonters who have experienced disorder, chaos, crime, not feeling safe to talk to their elected officials now, not later, now.' Dr. Nikhil Goyal, a Sociologist at the University of Vermont and Founder of the Treat Youth Like Youth Coalition, agrees that more accountability is needed, but in a different manner. He argues that issues, like 'Raise the Age,' are investments in reducing future crime through rehabilitation. 'The data is very clear that what makes communities safer is investing in basic resources for the most vulnerable, by targeting interventions at those repeat offenders, and most importantly to help young people rehabilitate and desist from crime so that we don't have them committing crimes as adults,' he said. Both Dr. Goyal and Commissioner Morrison say they hope Vermonters will continue to have important conversations about public safety and speak to their elected officials in the coming months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vermont Senate backs medical debt-relief bill
The Vermont Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would wipe out $100 million in medical debt for Vermonters. Senate Bill 27 would also prevent hospitals from reporting unpaid medical bills to credit-reporting agencies, as well as remove negative marks on the debtor's credit report. State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, who announced the plan with lawmakers in January, said the measure would 'provide life-changing relief to tens of thousands of Vermonters' without raising taxes or fees. Pieciak said the state would make a one-time investment of $1 million using funds previously appropriated to the Treasurer's Office and purchase medical debt from providers 'at pennies on the dollar.' In January, Piecek estimated that 62,000 Vermonters — more than 1 in 10 adults — hold medical debt. The Bill's sponsors — Sen. Ginny Lyons and Rep. Alyssa Black — say people with unpaid medical debt often put off seeking care, which can put them out of work and lead to more costly treatments later. The Vermont Department of Health's 2021 Vermont Household Health Insurance Survey found that the fear of medical debt impacted 85,000 Vermonters' health care decisions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
