Vermont seeks to implement new federal health care reform program
VTDigger
Last week, Vermont officials sent in an application to participate in a new federal health care program.
The state is seeking approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to operate the AHEAD model, a federal health care reform program that could change how Vermont pays for and accesses medical care in the coming years.
Proponents say that, if Vermont is chosen, the program could help bring down costs, improve health care outcomes, and make much-needed investments in primary care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment. “If implemented, the AHEAD model would change how we pay for care with a focus on quality, affordability, investment in primary care, and collaboration between providers,” the Agency of Human Services said in a press release last week. “That means access to more affordable and well-coordinated care, with a focus on primary care and supports that keep Vermonters and their families healthy.”