This assignment is an analysis of local, state, or federal health policy.

Vermont’s Single-payer System Student’s Name Institution Course Number and Name Instructor’s Name Date Abstract The complicated nature of America’s healthcare system coupled with escalating costs has driven state governments to adopt innovative policy solutions. In Vermont, Governor Shumlin pushed for the enactment of Green Mountain Care in 2011, which sought to cover all residents of the state. The main aim of the policy was to contain healthcare costs by reducing administration costs. However, the policy was not successfully adopted as Governor Shumlin abandoned it due to the high economic risk it posed to the state. This paper examines this legislation, the rationale behind its enactment, its funding structure, its impact, and ethical outcomes. While the policy was abandoned later, it can offer other states valuable lessons in regard to how to approach a single-payer system. Vermont’s Single-payer System America’s healthcare system is not complicated but also characterized by high costs that have prevented many citizens from seeking needed medical care. As a result of such deficiencies in the healthcare system, several states have come up with innovative policy decisions for improvement. One such policy is Vermont’s single-payer system, also known as Green Mountain Care, which was enacted in 2011 to transform the state’s healthcare system. As described in the policy as enacted by the Vermont General Assembly (2011), the aim was not only to contain costs but also to provide residents of the state with high-quality, public-financed, affordable, and comprehensive health care coverage. Another goal of the policy was to maximize funds received from the federal government as per the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Vermont General Assembly, 2011). Despite Green Mountain Care having well-meaning and ambitious goals, it was abandoned because it posed high economic risks to the state. Policy Details Although Green Mountain Care was dropped in 2014, it sought to put Vermont’s healthcare on a path to a single-player system (Sparer, 2019). The act created an independent five-member board to engage in coordinated efforts with the state government and residents of Vermont to transform the state's healthcare system. An important element of the policy was the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange which was created in the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) to provide individuals and employers with health benefit plans as per the Affordable Care Act (Vermont General Assembly, 2011). The Green Mountain Care was to be implemented after the state had gotten a waiver from the federal exchange requirement and the general assembly had enacted a policy supporting the financing of the program. As noted in the policy document, a waiver would have been available in 2017 according to the Affordable Care Act (Vermont General Assembly, 2011). Rationale A major rationale behind Green Mountain Care was the need to ensure that all residents of the state have access to universal health coverage regardless of their health status, income level, assets, or degree of coverage with other providers (Vermont General Assembly, 2011). Another rationale behind the enactment of the policy was the need to contain healthcare costs to create a balance between the state's expenditure on healthcare and the population's healthcare needs. Through the legislation, the state sought to cut administration costs and ensure a seamless delivery of care courtesy of the single-payer system. Another key rationale for the enactment of the policy was to establish a system of care that would improve the lives of all residents of Vermont, especially those who had or were at risk of chronic diseases (Vermont General Assembly, 2011). Given the burden of chronic diseases in the lives of Americans and the economy, it can be said that the policy had well-meaning aims for the future of the state’s healthcare system. It was also the intention of the legislation to enhance the accountability, transparency, and efficiency of the state’s healthcare system (Vermont General Assembly , 2011). If it had come to fruition, the goals of Green Mountain Care would have set the pace for other states to follow. Adoption The enactment of Green Mountain Care was largely due to the effort of Governor Peter Shumlin who was elected in 2010 and had run a platform that sought to implement a single-payer healthcare system in the state (Mueller, 2019). Having campaigned for the legislation, Governor Shumlin had a key role in the adoption as he pushed for its ena...