State regulators voted down a request from the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems to adjust target revenue growth rate or waive its enforcement, VTDigger reported May 31.
Four things to know:
1. The Green Mountain Care Board reviews each of the 14 hospitals' budgets annually, according to the report. Exceeding revenue targets is allowed but can lead to greater scrutiny of hospitals' budgetary decisions.
2. The board set a two-year revenue growth rate of 8.6 percent, according to the report. Hospital leaders argued that would not be enough to continue existing operations without service cuts.
3. Board members said they are concerned about healthcare affordability for small businesses and families who are trying to manage inflation's impact on their budget, according to the report.
4. "Given the volatility that we've seen … during the pandemic and since the pandemic, picking the right 'number' is really not feasible," Green Mountain Care Board member Robin Lunge said, according to the report. "I think sticking to the commitment that the state made as sort of a long-term target is a rational place to go."