It looks like moderate-income Vermonters on the state-backed Catamount Health program may be facing higher monthly premium payments.
The Vermont House had already passed a budget plan calling for an additional $2.5 million dollars to be raised through higher premiums.
But the Senate Health and Welfare Committee learned late last week that House and Senate leaders are now planning to cut $1 million from the health care reform bill to offset a $25 million revenue shortfall.
On the Senate side, Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Doug Racine says he’s now looking at raising an additional $1 million to avoid premium increases for low-income Vermonters.
Racine says he made it a goal back at the beginning of the legislative session not to increase premiums for people at the low end of the income scale. The committee is looking at increasing premiums for Vermonters with higher incomes.