Montpelier, Vermont- More than 50 business owners from Vermont gathered at the Statehouse Wednesday evening to tell lawmakers what they think of the state's plans to overhaul health care.
The plan calls for Vermont to adopt a health care exchange - or marketplace - called for under the federal health reform passed two years ago. By 2017, it seeks to move Vermont beyond the federal reforms and toward a single-payer health care system.
"Just talking about having five or six people control our healthcare actually scares the hell out of me," says Rolland Bellavance, who owns a trucking company in Barre. He says legislators are moving too fast in working toward a single payer system.
"If we go to fast than it's not going to happen," said Bellavance.
But other people, including Russ Bennett, owner of North Land Design and Construction, say it's time to pull the plug.
"We either ought to get all the way in the pool or let's just do it," said Bennett.
There are several exchange requirements for the affordable care act. One of them says that businesses with fewer than 50 workers can only buy health insurance through an exchange program. But Vice Chair of the House Health Care Committee Sarah Copeland-Hanzas says there is a choice.
"They have the choice to stop offering healthcare," said Copeland-Hanzas.
After two hours of discussion, committee members said they have a lot to think about.
"We heard some mixed reviews over whether we should be moving faster or moving slower, doing more or doing less so I think it's going to take some time for us to digest," says Copeland-Hanzas.
If the exchange bill passes, it will go into effect January 1st, 2014.
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