Advocacy

Are you involved with older adult issues in Vermont? This conference will offer the latest information and insights from a wide variety of professional experts across the state and beyond. See below for more on what will be covered.

By: Greg Marchildon, AARP Vermont State Director

The Vermont Retired Teachers Association (VRTA) is a statewide advocate and voice for over 10,000 retired educators and educational support workers. VRTA is the only organization in Vermont representing all individuals who retired from work in the schools of the state. VRTA speaks in support of retirement and health care programs that benefit those who dedicated their life work to educating and providing services to K-12 students and beyond. Local chapters of the organization can be found in all areas of Vermont and are currently seeking new members. Contact Elliott Greenblott at egreenblott@comcast.net or call (802) 254-4489 for more information.

Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced that the Attorney General’s Office will host a public forum on the cost of health care in Vermont on July 11th in Burlington. The forum will provide information on how the cost of health care is determined in Vermont and the process for the public to give comments to the Green Mountain Care Board. The Attorney General will be joined at the forum by Judy Henkin, General Counsel of the Green Mountain Care Board, Mike Fisher, Vermont Legal Aid’s Chief Health Care Advocate, and Amy Cooper, Executive Director of Health First.

AARP Vermont held this live, interactive teletown hall call with guest speaker Congressman Peter Welch and hundreds of Vermonters on June 19. The topics of conversation were Medicare and the healthcare system in general. Congressman Welch explained why he voted no on the new proposed American Health Care Act bill. AARP strongly opposes the bill as well. Congressman Welch has a history of working against the rising costs of prescription drugs and spoke to this on the call. He explained how important he feels it is to work with those that disagree with him in order to accomplish what is best for the nation. The Congressman also shared his thoughts on the new Republican tax plans.

Vermont’s population is aging rapidly and cities and towns need to begin to make accommodations for a changing demographic across the state. That was one of the many issues addressed at the Smart Growth Summit held on June 16 at Champlain College and hosted by AARP Vermont and the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC). About 160 local officials, planners, policy makers, developers, advocates, and business people from across Vermont came together to share their insights and learn more during a dynamic and interactive summit aimed at addressing a host of community development challenges and opportunities.

GOVERNOR’S AWARD FOR BUSINESS

From Vermont Business Magazine - 5/19/17:

AARP Vermont and the Newport Community Renaissance Corp. (NCRC) are now accepting applications for the 2017 Community Action Sponsorship Program -- as an effort to provide modest grants and technical support to community groups or individuals. The initiative is part of AARP’s work to enhance the Age Friendliness of Newport by preparing the community for the rapidly aging demographic shift -- particularly in the areas of housing, mobility and community engagement.

If you were to ask a typical Vermonter how to fix health care in America, you can be sure [he/she] would not suggest that Washington allow insurance companies to price people out of affordable coverage.