Vermont Legislature Considers Banning Hospital Advertising and Marketing

The chairman of the healthcare committee in the Vermont House of Representatives has proposed legislation that would prohibit hospitals from spending on advertising and marketing, according to a report by the Burlington Free Press.

The proposal by State Rep. Steve Maier (D-Middlebury) has support from a Republican, Sen. Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland), a member of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

Hospital ads are "competing for business," Mr. Maier said. "I think it's appropriate to question whether our not-for-profit system needs to compete."

However, the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems has raised questions about what constitutes advertising, whether a ban would violate free-speech guarantees and whether there would be unintended consequences.

Read the Burlington Free Press' report on Vermont hospital advertising.


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