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Press ReleaseFor Immediate ReleaseOctober 18, 2005 Vermont Medical Society Honors Sen. Richard Sears With Citizen of the Year Award
MONTPELIER – For his tireless efforts to protect and enhance Vermonters’ access to health care, the Vermont Medical Society has honored Sen. Richard W. Sears Jr., of North Bennington with its 2005 Citizen of the Year Award.
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.
Sen. Sears was presented with the Citizen of the Year Award at the Vermont Medical Society’s 192nd Annual Meeting, held Oct. 15 at the Killington Grand Hotel in Killington.
The Vermont Medical Society’s Citizen of the Year Award is presented to a non-physician resident of Vermont who has made a significant contribution to the health of the people of Vermont.
The Vermont Medical Society represents more than 1,500 physicians licensed in Vermont. The mission of the Vermont Medical Society is to serve the public by facilitating and enhancing physicians’ individual and collective commitments, capabilities and efforts to improve the quality of life for the people of Vermont through the provision of accessible and appropriate health care services.
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