VT S0197

Establishes a primary care payment reform program where participating providers receive monthly capitated payments from insurers to cover patients' routine primary care services with no cost-sharing requirements; voluntary for practices initially, mandatory for all primary care practices by January 1, 2028

Sets a primary care spending target of 15% of total Vermont health care spending by January 1, 2029, with limits on indirect primary care spending; increased spending must not raise overall health care costs

Aims to reduce practitioner time spent on administrative tasks from 50% to 10% and limits quality measures to no more than 12 total, with practices required to adopt no more than 6

Requires multiple reports by January 2027: Green Mountain Care Board on clinician landscape and site-neutral reimbursements; Agency of Human Services on transitioning care from hospitals to community settings; State Treasurer on potential regional universal primary care program with other northeastern states

Eliminates the July 1, 2027 sunset date on the primary care physician scholarship program (18 V.S.A. § 33), making it permanent