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Improve Vermonters' access to appropriate health services and 6 more... less...

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All Vermonters have Access to High Quality Health Care

Vermonters have Access to High Quality Health Care

All Vermonters have fair and just opportunities to be healthy

All Vermonters have access to healthcare and physical, mental, and substance use prevention services

Equitable Access: Vermonters have access to programs, services, and supports in healthcare, childcare, nutrition, and transportation

Vermonters are Healthy

% of adults who cannot obtain care or delay care

Current Value

6%

2021

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

Last updated: February 2023

Author: Planning Unit, Vermont Department of Health


Costs of health insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses for healthcare visits and medications continue to be barriers to accessing care, even as more Vermonters acquire health insurance. In 2021, 6% of Vermont adults said there was a time in the last year they did not go to the doctor because of cost, compared to 10% of U.S. adults. Cost as a barrier to care is significantly lower among Vermonters 65 and older, when compared with other age groups (2% of seniors vs. 7-10% of others).

Why Is This Important?

Those with lower levels of education and annual household income are more likely to have forgone care due to cost, as compared to those with more education or higher income. Adults with some college education or less are significantly more likely to cite cost as a barrier to medical care (6-9%) than those with a college degree or higher (4%).

You can find more information in the Vermont Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System annual data summary reports.

Partners

 

The Health Department understands that addressing this need requires strong partnerships between public health and healthcare organizations.

Some of our current partners include:

What Works

Affordable health insurance (ongoing premiums and co-payments) enables patients to seek care with confidence that doing so will not be a financial burden to them.

Strong working relationships between Vermont’s free clinics and other local providers helps bridge the connection between patients needing ongoing care and practices that can provide that care.

Strategy

The clinics of Vermont's Free & Referral Clinics offers vouchers for medications when available and appropriate. FQHCs and RHCs also provide care on a sliding scale fee, and are required to provide care to anyone regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Similar to statewide efforts, local partners are using data to drive local strategy. For regional data on access to health indicators, check out our Public Health Data Explorer.

Notes on Methodology

Data is updated as it becomes available and timing may vary by data source. You can find more information on the Department of Health BRFSS data page.

Due to BRFSS weighting methodology changes beginning in 2011, comparisons between data collected in 2011 and later and that from 2010 and earlier should be made with caution. Differences between data from 2011 forward and earlier years may be due to methodological changes, rather than changes in opinion or behavior.

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

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