Healthcare

Health care system change is absolutely essential in Vermont if we want to control costs and improve access. A workable solution toward health care for ALL has proven elusive in our unique environment. As a physician directly involved in patient care and a leader in primary care, my experience tells me that enabling health-care providers to “work up to their license” is essential. Nurses are a prime example of an underutilized resource due to the payment system restrictions in force today.

As a practicing primary care physician, I get it. Caring for people is what I do every day, and I’m ready to take that work beyond the walls of my office. Over the past twenty years, I’ve cared for an extraordinary range of Vermonters and I have learned something meaningful from every single one of them. Families, employers, towns, school districts, workers, and health‑care providers are all navigating the same pressures. I want to take what I’ve learned in my practice and use it to do something to help NOW and into the FUTURE at the state level. Rather than focus on the problems, I would like to hone in on what people need and what existing strengths we have to get there in Vermont.

Many factors contribute to Vermont’s high health‑care costs: a limited mix of payers, the growing dominance and pricing structure of the University of Vermont Health Network, heavy regulatory demands, and mounting pressures on an already strained workforce. Vermont’s small and aging population limits our economy of scale, which means we must make deliberate, thoughtful choices. Every policy decision should center on access to care and the affordability of that care. We also need to take a hard look at health-insurance rates, which are driving up town budgets, school budgets, and employer stress across the state.

There are clear steps we can take. We can expand and support our primary‑care workforce so more care happens where it belongs—close to home, without unnecessary specialist referrals. We can expand Vermont's Blueprint for Health—a program that invests in your primary-care office to keep you healthy, not just treat you when you're sick; it prioritizes prevention and education so that your primary-care doctor is your partner in staying well, not just someone you see in a crisis. We can start with a thorough examination of our health-related state government, including the Green Mountain Care Board, to find where money is being lost, where bureaucracy is getting in the way, and where we can do better for patients.

Despite the complexity of the system, Vermonters share common values. People want care that is personal, timely, and grounded in respect. They want to feel safe and supported by their care team. I want that, too, and I’m committed to helping build a system that delivers it—one that truly serves the people who call this state home.

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