Vermont Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Vermont?

Vermont topped every other U.S. state in the 2009 ranking of the healthiest states by the United Health Foundation.

The top-rated state's best and worst category rankings:

• Prevalence of binge drinking – 37
• Prevalence of obesity – 7
• High school graduation – 8
• Violent crime – 2
• Infectious disease – 5
• Children in poverty – 4
• Lack of health insurance – 9
• Public health funding – 2
• Immunization coverage – 37
• Primary care physicians – 5
• Preventable hospitalizations – 7
• Geographic disparity – 4
• Premature death – 3

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Vermont.

Does Vermont have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Vermont does not have a state risk pool. The state has guaranteed-issue meaning all citizens will be accepted at the same premium regardless of their health. Thus New Yorkers are lucky to have access to health insurance that is much better than a risk pool (which almost always charges a higher-than-the-going-rate because it is made up of uninsurable people).

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Vermont will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Vermont's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Vermont

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Vermont and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in Vermont.
• Materiales En Español – Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Vermont

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Vermont.

USNews health insurance rankings for Vermont

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Vermont.

Official State Goverment Sites with Vermont Health Insurance Information

Consumer publications from Vermont's Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration -- includes guides on buying different types of health coverage in Vermont, HSAs, discount plans and much more.

Department for Children & Families, children, pregnant women -- information for uninsured children, pregnant women and adults.

Department for Children & Families, Medicaid program a government health insurance program for eligible people age 65 years and older, people who are blind or disabled, children and young people under 21, pregnant women, and parents of children under 18.

Advocacy

Vermont Health Care for All -- provides information, news and analysis for understanding the critical problems confronting health care in Vermont.