Health Care Updates from the Desk of Stefanie Sidortsova

Catamount Update

Yesterday marked a historic new beginning for health care in Vermont, as enrollment began in the state’s landmark Catamount Health program. Catamount Health is part of Green Mountain Care, a family of state- and federally subsidized health care programs for uninsured Vermonters. The health care administration is launching the program slowly, hoping to iron out all kinks before facing a deluge of applications. The Green Mountain Care advertising campaign is scheduled to begin in earnest on November 1. VPIRG will be issuing a scorecard on the Catamount outreach and enrollment process later this month. Click on the button below to sign up and see if you are eligible for benefits!

National News

You’ve probably already heard that the House and Senate passed a “compromise bill” that extends the highly popular State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for another five years. The bill was a compromise in that it combined previous SCHIP bills passed by both chambers. If the new bill becomes law, children in Vermont who are currently insured under our Dr. Dynasaur program will retain their health insurance. In a move that shocked no one, President Bush vowed to veto the bill. Stay tuned.