The state legislature would like to have another pair of eyes cast over the books of Vermont’s fledgling all-payer, OneCare Vermont. That collective pair of eyes belongs to Doug Hoffer and the state auditor’s office. OneCare argues that this is unnecessary since the Green Mountain Care Board already regulates the organization.
Additional scrutiny may not be welcome at OneCare, but when you consider they’ve just been approved for a budget of $900 million public dollars, interest from the auditor’s office is not surprising.
Even though OneCare Vermont is a private entity in the usual sense, the state of Vermont has a particular interest in determining the success or failure of managing healthcare costs through this all-payer model. Healthcare costs represent a huge and growing public funding challenge; and all possible models are subject to debate. For that reason alone, an audit of OneCare Vermont is a legitimate interest for the Auditor’s office.
Add to that, the fact that OneCare Vermont is a “freshman” enterprise and already being criticized for lack of transparency and for adding a new layer of bureaucracy to the system rather than reducing it. It can only benefit public confidence in OneCare Vermont’s management of their healthcare dollars to have the state’s own auditor take a look under the hood.
Auditor Hoffer is known for his political independence, investigative vigor and commitment to public service. With everything that both the Green Mountain Care Board and the hospital partners have on their respective plates, they should welcome an assist in oversight from their state counterpart.
