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Vermont-NEA Principles of
Health Care Policy Reform

Vermont-NEA wants to participate in the development of a consensus regarding how to change the hearth care system – in Vermont and nationally.

We recognize that Vermont educators have struggled and sacrifice to obtain and, particularly, to retain high quality health care coverage for themselves and their families.1

We recognize that it has become increasingly difficult for educators without such coverage to obtain it.2 Many support staff in our schools have good health insurance at acceptable cost. Most, however, either have no coverage or coverage that is inadequate, either because their out of pocket costs are simply unrealistically high or because their employing school board simply has not yet agreed to provide any coverage at any price.

We recognize that retired educators deserve and need access to good health care at rational and realistic cost.3 We must do what we can to help them get it.

We know that most approaches to “reform” in public health care policy have typically been little more than shifting costs from one group of patients or providers to others. That is because reform has almost always been partial, incremental, inadequate. No approach to health care reform short of one that addresses the whole system and the entire population can appropriately meet the principles we establish here for proposals we can support. Therefore, Vermont-NEA will endorse approaches to this public issue of fundamental importance in Vermont that adhere to the following principles:

1. Reform in health care policy must encompass the entire health care system. It should not seek or result merely in the shifting of system costs from one group of patients or providers to others. In particular, it should not seek to lump together those who receive some or all of their health coverage through taxpayers.

2. Health care reform should not be piecemeal. It should not address first one group with the mere hope or intention that other groups will be affected later.

3. All Vermonters should be able to obtain safe and timely health care services when they need them, with the guidance of medical providers they know and trust.

4. Access to health care should be available to all regardless of employment. Many thousands of Vermonters, whether or not disabled, are unemployed without fault. Many thousands are retired. Many thousands are employed but do not have adequate or, in some cases, any coverage. Their ability to obtain needed health care should not be compromised.

5. Access to health care should be established as a fundamental right of citizenship.

6. Health care finance should be adequate, affordable, and sustainable. These three standards characterize all good social institutions.

7. The health care system should be efficient. It should provide fair, equitable payment to providers and encourage them to implement those practices identified as best and as improving overall quality.

8. Health care providers must be accountable. There should be high standards, good evaluation systems, and thorough public oversight mechanisms.

Footnotes
1 Most teachers have health insurance through their employment. All Vermont school boards participate for this purpose in VEHI, a partnership of Vermont-NEA and the Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust. By comparison with other employee insurance groups, VEHI is administratively efficient and cost-effective.
2 Many support staff in our schools have good health insurance at acceptable cost. Most, however, either have no coverage or coverage that is inadequate, either because their out of pocket costs are simply unrealistically high or because their employing school board simply has not yet agreed to provide any coverage at any price.
3 Currently, retired Vermont teachers receive payment for 80% of their individual health insurance cost. Retired school support staff, if their employer participates in the Vermont Municipal Employees Retirement System, receive just $30/month toward the premium cost of their health insurance. The cost of a useful health benefit is a contributing factor to the fiscal instability of public pension programs generally.

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