Consumer advocate barred from insurance rate hearing; state won't say why

Vermont’s health care oversight board blocked the designated public health care advocate from weighing in on affordability during a hearing Monday on insurance rates for the coming year.

The Green Mountain Care Board, the quasi-judicial body that regulates health care on behalf of Vermonters, yielded to a request from the state’s largest insurers to block Mike Fisher’s testimony.

Kevin Mullin, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, confirmed Monday afternoon that the board upheld a motion from insurance companies to exclude a report and testimony by Fisher, the state’s designated health care advocate, from hearings this week on rate changes. He declined to say why.

Mullin and Judy Henkin, the board’s general counsel, again declined to explain the decision in a phone call Monday evening. They said a transcript from the hearing would be available for review later this week.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/07/23/consumer-advocate-barred-insurance-rate-hearing-state-wont-say/