Anne | March 3, 2013
Dear Friends and Constituents: These first few months of this new biennium have been very busy. My committee assignment is once again Government Operations, which considers legislation regarding elections, municipal charter changes, state government operations, pensions, and the regulation of 45 professions, to name a few. Many of you have asked about the process of [...]
Anne | June 7, 2012
Dear Constituents, Friends and Family: What an ending to the 2012 legislative session; at times, fast-paced and frenetic, but in the end, meeting some serious needs of Vermonters. Any bill that is not signed by the Governor by this time will not automatically be carried into 2013; a new sponsor(s) must submit a new bill [...]
Anne | June 23, 2011
For the past ten years midwives in Vermont have been licensed to perform all aspects of maternal childcare, however only those who chose hospital births could access insurance benefits. In contrast, clients who qualified for Vermont Medicaid could enjoy the benefit of home birth performed by a licensed midwife. During 2010 in Vermont, licensed midwives [...]
Anne | June 23, 2011
The legislature has taken a significant step toward controlling health care costs and ensuring health care for all Vermonters. Vermonters increasingly agree that our current health care system is broken. Despite our state’s previous health care reform efforts, too many Vermonters remain uninsured and even more face financial risk if they get sick or hurt [...]
Anne | June 23, 2011
The legislature continued its work this session to remove the barriers that continue to prevent all Vermonters from receiving appropriate hospice and palliative care. Over eighty percent of Vermonters regularly respond that given the choice they would prefer to die at home, yet half die in a hospital and a quarter die in a nursing [...]
Anne | March 3, 2011
Health Care Vermonters who face big increases in their insurance premiums and their medical bills know that our health care system is broken. It can and must be fixed; if not, health care for Vermont residents will cost $5.9 billion dollars in 2012. That is a $2 billion dollar (or 50%) increase since 2006 – [...]
Anne | March 3, 2011
Concussions Bill The House of Representatives passed H.46, a bill that requires protocols to improve the protection of athletes. This affects public or approved independent elementary and secondary teams or clubs, who a licensed health care provider has reason to believe an athlete, may have a concussion. The bill, which describes the protocol schools, must [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Human Services: Caring for Vermonters The legislature worked very hard to protect and improve services for Vermonters, especially children, seniors and Vermonters with disabilities who need some help to live safely and with dignity. Every child should have a stable, permanent home. We passed legislation that will help children who come into the foster care [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Health & Safety: Oral Chemo Now Available On April 1st, a little known bill became Vermont law. The new law requires Vermont health insurance plans to cover orally administered chemotherapy drugs as a medical benefit in the same manner as intravenously or injected medications. Before the law went into effect, most insurance companies treated oral [...]
Anne | June 8, 2010
Health & Safety: Banning of Bispenol A (BPA) The legislature has banned the manufacture, sale or distribution of several types of products containing Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a chemical used in manufacturing various hard plastics. Even low-dose exposure to BPA has been linked to delayed development, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and various other health [...]
