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Dear Fellow Vermonter,
Last January, I asked for your thoughts on the state of the United States health care system and over 1,000 of you responded. Nearly everyone — 96% — said that our health care system is broken.
Over the last year, we have seen how those failures play out right here in Vermont. Our state pays the highest prices for monthly health insurance premiums of any other state in the country. Meanwhile, we don’t have enough doctors, nurses, dentists, hygienists or mental health professionals to provide the care we need. We also pay high prices for prescription drugs, have long wait times for care, and lack nursing home beds and long term care options for an aging population.
The problems we face are serious and the reforms we need are major. But change is what is needed. That is why I hope you will join me on Friday, January 23, for a town meeting with Dr. Stephen Leffler, the new CEO of University of Vermont (UVM) Health. In his role, Dr. Leffler is responsible for leading the largest health care institution in the state, which includes UVM Medical Center, Porter Medical Center, Central Vermont Medical Center, and UVM Home Health and Hospice. The UVM Health Network also includes three hospitals in Upstate New York. Together, Dr. Leffler and I will discuss how we improve our broken health care system, expanding access and lowering costs. We look forward to taking your questions. |