Continuing progress to affordable care for all Vermonters
Gov. Shumlin signed another major VPIRG priority into law. This one advances Vermont toward our goal of high quality, affordable health care for all. The bill, H.559, creates a consumer Health Benefit Exchange where individuals and businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get their health insurance beginning in 2014. With the Exchange, Vermont will qualify for several hundred million dollars in federal health care subsidies, assuming the Supreme Court does not strike down the federal Affordable Care Act.
VPIRG’s Cassandra Gekas is a major force pressing for health care reform in the State House. Her powerful advocacy, along with the calls, letters and emails from our member activists, helped not only to move the bill, but to fend off numerous attempts to weaken it as well.
Advancing the most progressive health care reform in the country will be a long road and incremental victories, like establishing a strong Health Benefit Exchange, are key steps toward our transition to universal, affordable health care coverage.