Commentaries are opinion pieces contributed by readers and newsmakers. VTDigger strives to publish a variety of views from a broad range of Vermonters. Commentaries give voice to community members and do not represent VTDigger’s views. To submit a commentary, follow the instructions here.

This commentary is by Connie Beal, of St. Albans. Beal is the director of United Way’s Working Bridges program, which helps working individuals and families reach stability and thrive. Working Bridges is a partnership between United Way and employers focused on helping employees access the resources they need to gain, keep and grow stable employment by bringing services and support directly to employees onsite at the workplace.

Many in our community have expressed understandable fear and dismay at the reported estimate that 45,000 Vermonters will lose their health insurance because of the federal bill signed into law on July 4. However, this outcome is far from inevitable. 

While some Vermonters might lose health coverage under the new law due to being ineligible, many more could lose coverage simply because they cannot complete the process of recertification or navigate available health insurance options.

Many of us know from our own experience how overwhelming and confusing it can be to navigate health insurance options, and this law will only make it harder. For example, the law imposes new requirements for people on Medicaid to prove they are working to receive coverage, and their eligibility will need to be recertified every six months instead of once a year. The law also adds hurdles for people who purchase coverage on the commercial marketplace by making it harder to sign up, shrinking enrollment periods and decreasing financial assistance available through advanced premium tax credits. 

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United Way’s Working Bridges program is uniquely positioned to meet this moment. Working Bridges is a partnership between United Way and employers whereby trained resource coordinators meet with employees in their workplace to help them navigate and access the resources they need to keep and grow stable employment. Working Bridges Resource Coordinators are certified health assisters and already work with employees at 30 workplaces in Northern Vermont. 

Working Bridges health assisters can support employees as they navigate this new landscape and help employers understand and respond to new requirements. We can help employees stay healthy and support employers to not have to shoulder this burden alone.  

This is about protecting access to health care for our families, friends, colleagues and neighbors — but it’s also about the health of Vermont’s workforce and economy. People will not stop getting sick or needing care if they do not have health coverage. They will either end up getting care in a more expensive setting (driving up health care costs for all of us) or they will get sicker and be unable to work and support their families.  

Let’s devise a solutions-focused strategy to ensure Vermonters who are eligible for Medicaid maintain their health coverage, and Vermonters get good information about health insurance options and have trusted, accessible resources to rely on as these changes are put in place. This includes organizations and programs that already provide health assistance and health care navigation, such as Working Bridges, the Vermont Healthcare Advocate’s Office, the federally qualified health centers and others who will be on the frontlines of this health care crisis. We must collaborate to adequately resource solutions we know work in Vermont. 

For our economy to be secure and prosperous for all, I’m reminded of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Economic Bill of Rights from 1944 (often called a second Bill of Rights) as a challenge that demands our immediate attention. Especially now, as we see social safety nets as well as worker resources and protections weaken. Economic security for all includes “the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.”

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