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 Senator
Richard Sears
2005 VMS Citizen of the Year Award
Sen. Richard W. Sears Jr., of North Bennington was
presented with the Citizen of the Year Award for his tireless efforts to
protect and enhance Vermonters' access to health care.
Sears is chairman of the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of
the Senate Appropriations Committee. During the 2005 legislative session,
Sears fought for adequate physician reimbursement from the Medicaid program,
recognizing that proposed budget cuts would have a devastating impact on
low-income Vermonters' ability to access physician care.
Sears has also been instrumental in seeking a solution to rapidly-rising
medical malpractice insurance costs, which have forced some Vermont
physicians to retire early or restrict the services they can provide. Sears
has taken testimony in his committee about how medical malpractice insurance
premium rates, which have risen more than 70 percent in the last four years,
are jeopardizing patient access to physician services.
Through his efforts, a special committee was formed to study medical
malpractice insurance issues and recommend potential actions to the General
Assembly at the beginning of the next session. He worked to obtain increased
Medicaid funding for physicians to help offset the high cost of medical
liability insurance. |
