State lawmakers are hoping to have Vermont become the nation’s first state to employ medical card technology, sort of a health care debit card.
The proposal is part of the Senate Appropriations Bill.
Part of the proposal establishes a task foce of lawmakers, health care providers, technology representatives and licensed health insurers.
They would review the prospects of using health information technology to revamp payment processes.
Senate President Peter Shumlin calls idea cutting-edge. It could mean using "smart card" technology.
This means a patient could scan a card so medical facilities can quickly review the patient’s eligibility and have the insurance company identify how much of the bill gets covered.