We help private practice physicians stay independent
Joining Health First has a significant effect on lowering overhead costs and enables practices to collaborate on issues that affect them while maintaining their independence. Take a moment to enroll online today to start benefiting from everything Health First membership offers, including outstanding medical malpractice rates, advocacy, and a listing in our online physician directory.
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Member Benefits
Health First advocates for its members by articulating to key policy makers the important role independent doctors play in the fabric of our health care system. Our efforts over the years have resulted in many victories for our members including:
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- Prevented implemention of a 2.35% provider tax proposed by former Governor Shumlin.
- Advancement of a legislative requirement for payers and the Green Mountain Care Board to implement a plan toward pay equity for independent doctors.
- Recovered $4.0M in Medicaid reimbursements for independent PCPs.
- Enactment of legislation requiring Attorney General review of hospital consolidation and practice acquisitions and greater transparency to patients when acquisitions occur.
- Achieved increased public awareness of our issues through numerous media stories.
Health First has aligned with the Independent Physicians Insurance purchasing group. This multi-state association of independent physicians has formed a strategic alliance to negotiate with malpractice insurance carriers. The result has been a true leveraging of purchasing power to create ”a superior medical malpractice insurance program run by physicians.” Collectively, this program has saved Health First members in excess of $100,000 in premiums per year. A typical practice saves more than they pay in annual Health First dues.
Health First has partnered with the Broughton Fund to offer a Community Match Grant to Health First member practices seeking to hire or retain clinicians in the practice areas of family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology, and psychiatry. Grant funds of $25,000 are earmarked annually for the Health First Community Match Fund, with receipients receiving a minimum matching grant of $5,000. This grant is administered through the UVM Larner College of Medicine Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program. Applications are due each September.
Health First members keep abreast of the ever-changing healthcare landscape with Health First Alerts on important legislative issues, programs, and other issues affecting independent practices. We interpret the complex deluge of information for members and distill it in to salient bullet points and recommendations to help members make the best decisions for their practices.
Health First links its members to other like-minded independent physicians and practices. Members meet and share ideas with their independent colleagues at Health First’s Annual Meetings, board meetings, and legislative events. Health First also hosts a listserv for practice managers at member practices that is a robust forum for practice managers to request and share information with each other.
Joining our Independent Practice Association (IPA) adds your voice to those of your colleagues, which collectively strengthens our voice in Vermont. You are not required to participate in any contracts (e.g., MVP or ACO). We present you with opportunities, but you remain empowered to determine whether it makes sense for your practice to participate in a program through Health First. You can remain a part of other ACOs, networks, or professional organizations even when you join Health First.
Group Purchasing Discounts
Health First partners with Hub International New England, LLC, to deliver comprehensive insurance solutions for your practice. Take advantage of Health First member pricing on our outstanding medical malpractice program through Coverys and on policies for business owner's, worker's comp, employment practice liability, and management liability insurance.
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DominionTech provides IT Outsourcing that can ease the stress of using your technology. They have been helping Vermont medical practices since 2001 and their IT Outsourcing is developed to help your unique practice succeed. DominionTech excels in high speed, high demand practices where technology has to work consistently and quickly. Their Vermont, family-owned company can provide Help Desk, Network Engineering and Techology planning services for your medical practice.
Medline Industries is now serving physician offices to offer manufacturer-direct pricing on medical supplies. Health First practices can save an average of 25%, and savings are maximized when used in conjunction with Health First Intalere benefit.
Intalere helps practices manage their entire non-labor spend, providing innovative technologies, products and services, and leveraging the best practices of a provider-led model. Health First members can take advantage of Intalere's discounted pricing on thousands of products and services such as medical supplies, telecommunications services, office furniture, and much more.
MedPro Disposal provides reliable, cost-effective medical waste disposal services to large and small quantity generators of medical waste. MedPro has transparent pricing, offers specials to Health First members, and carries multiple multimillion dollar insurance policies for transporting your medical waste. They also offer a convenient and comprehensive online compliance portal making MedPro your one stop shop for all your medical waste disposal and compliance needs.
Green Frontier is a newer Vermont medical waste disposal company started by a former patient of Health First member Joe Nasca. They offer Health First members a 10% discount. They are a good option if you don’t anticipate generating a ton of waste, as it is a mail-back system. No contract is required.
PCC provides award-winning, pediatric-specific practice management and EHR software with 24/7/365 guaranteed support and expert practice management guidance to improve the health of your practice and your patients. PCC was founded in Vermont almost 30 years ago and helps practices around the country.
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Studio J Creative is a locally-owned business offering comprehensive professional website design and development, marketing integration, cloud hosting, and photography services. Extensive experience with healthcare websites. Free consultation available with starting discount of $1,000 off website design packages for Health First members.
Our independent practice has reaped many benefits from our Health First membership. The most tangible is the savings on our medical malpractice premiums - this alone more than covers membership dues. In addition, Health First’s listserv and regular meetings give us easy access to other members who are eager to collaboratively address the challenges unique to independent practices. Information and ideas are shared on many topics including healthcare reform, regulation and compliance, EMR utilization, workflow optimization, and practice policies. These resources are invaluable to me as Practice Manager of a small office. Before joining Health First, we questioned if it was worth our money, wondering what was in it for us. We don’t wonder anymore! Health First has proven to be an invaluable resource to us as well as the overall Vermont healthcare industry. We are extremely proud to be Health First members, and highly recommend this forward-thinking association to our peers.
Mary Lahiff, Practice Manager
Richmond, VermontAfter 24 years of practice in Family Medicine, I find myself feeling frustrated with the possibility of not being able to continue as a private practitioner for much longer. I left a faculty position 20 years ago, and an employed position 10 years ago, and I know that even with the challenges of practice ownership, I can provide the most personal, quality and accountable care in private practice. As valuable as my practice is to Vermonters, one thing is certain, I need options. I need an organization that will actively work to support my practice as it changes and to help shape those changes...not from an institutional perspective...but from my and my patients' view. Being part of an organized effort, designed and directed by physicians, will at least offer us a rare opportunity not only of survival, but of prosperity and satisfaction in practice.
Paul Reiss, M.D., Family Medicine
Burlington, VermontMy small (2 physician) ophthalmology practice struggles every day. After having spent 8 years in a medical center controlled employment environment before striking out on my own 5 years ago I am certain that I do not want to return to my former model (or anything like it). The private medical practices in our region need an organization under which we can identify and work together to solve problems that exist across areas of clinical practice, and the most effective and forceful way do to do that will be at a statewide level. Please join us as member of Health First and consider an investment in the future of your practice and your patients' needs.