World 12_27_17

People’s Health & Wellness Clinic Establishes
Dr. Mark N. Yorra Legacy Fund
The Board of Trustees of the People’s
Health & Wellness Clinic has announced the
creation of the Dr. Mark N. Yorra Legacy
Fund in honor of the Clinic’s retiring Medical
Director, and one of the founders of the Clinic
back in 1993.
Along with other community members, Dr.
Yorra’s vision was access to health care for
all. The People’s Health & Wellness Clinic
has used a classic “free clinic” model, where
a tiny paid staff supports a large corps of volunteer
practitioners who give of their time and
talents to ensure their central Vermont neighbors
can get the primary health care they
need.
Being a free clinic, PHWC must raise all
funds for its operation every year, relying on
grants, donations, and fundraising events to
make ends meet. The Yorra Legacy Fund was
created to help ensure the long term sustainability
of the Clinic. This reserve fund will
help guarantee that this critical community
health care safety net will continue to exist for
the long haul, providing access to needed
health care for the underserved.
Our goal is to raise at least $25,000, the The Dr. Mark N. Yorra Legacy Fund is our
minimum needed to establish such a fund with way of saying “Thank You” to Mark for all he
the Vermont Community Foundation, which has done for our neighbors, and to help continue
that work in the years to come. Please
will manage it. A generous donor has offered
to match the first $5,000.
join us in honoring Dr. Yorra for his vision
Donations made be made to the People’s and service to the community.
Health & Wellness Clinic, 553 North Main The mission of the People’s Health &
Street, Barre, VT 05641. Please indicate Wellness Clinic is to provide primary health
“Yorra Fund” clearly in the check memo care and wellness education to uninsured and
line. PHWC is a 501c3 non-profit, charitable underinsured community members of central
organization, and contributions are taxdeductible.
services.
Vermont who cannot otherwise afford these
• • •
Vermont Wraps Up 2018 Open Enrollment
State officials reported that nearly 23,000
Vermonters had confirmed a 2018 health plan
and qualified for financial help to make the
plan more affordable. Total enrollment in
qualified health plans, which typically
includes 46,000 small business employees
and 11,000 individuals who don’t qualify for
financial help, is expected to surpass 80,000.
While enrollment will be similar to past
years, this year’s earlier deadline means fewer
members will experience gaps in coverage. In
past years, nearly 2,000 members missed out
on January coverage.
The health insurance marketplace and its
carrier partners are also urging Vermonters
who had trouble completing their transaction
at the December 15th deadline to call as soon
as possible. Vermont Health Connect applicants
– those who qualify for financial help or
have variable incomes that may qualify --
should call 1-855-899-9600 by Friday,
December 22nd. Similarly, members who do
not qualify for financial help and were trying
to direct enroll with an insurance carrier are
encouraged to call BlueCross BlueShield of
Vermont (1-800-255-4550) or MVP Health
Care (1-844-865-0250) as soon as possible
and complete their enrollment.
“We came into this fall with three enrollment
goals,” said Cory Gustafson,
Commissioner of Department of Vermont
Health Access. “First, we wanted as many
Vermonters as possible to sign up for January
coverage and the financial help to make it
more affordable. Second, we wanted to
encourage members who don’t qualify for
financial help to sign up directly with their
carrier and establish a single point of contact
for managing their account. Third, we wanted
everyone to do their homework and make
sure they’re in the best plan for their needs
and budget.”
In addition to enrollment numbers, state
officials pointed to record usage for the marketplace’s
Plan Comparison Tool, which can
help individuals and small business employees
determine the best plans for their families’
needs and budgets. The tool was used 938
times on November 1st, nearly a 50% increase
over the same day last year, and it was used
1,069 times on December 15th, nearly a 50%
increase over the last day of open enrollment
last year. The interactive site calculates state
and federal subsidies based on projected
household income and allows Vermonters to
compare plans not just by monthly premiums
and deductible amounts, but also by estimated
total annual costs based on the age and health
status of each household member. Altogether,
the 2018 tool hosted more than 23,000 sessions.
Income thresholds for financial help vary
by household size, going up to about $48,000
for an individual, $65,000 for a two-person
household, and $98,000 for a family of four.
The amount of financial help varies by household
income, with Vermont Health Connect’s
typical individual member having an annual
income just over $25,000 and receiving nearly
$400 per month toward the 2018 insurance
plan of their choice. Couples and families
generally receive more.
“We are fortunate to live in a state with
such a rich social fabric,” said Gustafson.
“From in-person Assisters and state staff to
community organizations, businesses, and
town officials, Vermonters helped their neighbors
understand the deadline and get signed
up for January 1st health coverage.”
The Green Mountain Mahler Festival
Presents New Year’s Concerts
The Green Mountain Mahler
Festival presents its eighth annual
performance of Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony on December 30 at
7:00 pm at the Spruce Peak
Performing Arts Center in Stowe
and on New Year’s Day at 3:00 pm
at the Elley-Long Music Center in
Colchester. The pair of concerts
will feature vocal soloists Stefanie
Weigand, Erin Grainger (Dec. 30),
Linda Radtke (Jan. 1), Kevin
Ginter, and Erik Kroncke, along
with the Green Mountain Mahler
Festival Orchestra and Chorus
under the direction of conductor
Daniel Bruce with chorusmaster
Steven Klimowski.
Proceeds from the January 1 concert will
benefit the Vermont Performing Arts League,
which is based in Burlington’s Old North End,
where it promotes and supports community
centered performing arts activities with a
• • •
focus on the folk arts and international
exchanges.
For more information and to purchase
tickets visit www.vtmahler.org The Green
Mountain Mahler Festival is a nonprofit
501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
CENTRAL
VERMONT’S
BEST
COUNTRY
®
OF BARRE
THANK YOU FOR SAYING
I SAW IT IN
Our
35th
Year!
Central Vermont Rotary Club &
The Salvation Army of Barre
2017
SANTA
PROJECT
To purchase new winter
coats, hats, and mittens
for children of need in
central Vermont.
Send your check to:
WORLD Santa Project
403 US Rt. 302, Barre, VT 05641
or call Gary Hass at
479-2582 or 1-800-639-9753
for more information.
Thank You To This Week’s Contributors At Press Time
Cynthia Masi
In Memory Of Vico, Theresa, Nellie,
Mike Masi; Christopher, Gordon
Greene; Fredda, Laurie Jacobs;
Father Maurice Broucher;
Saint Anne’s Shrine
Donna Houghton
Robert & Carol King
Margaret & Bob Kinzel Family
Robert (Toad) Spaulding
Second & Third Grade Classes
and Their Families at
East Montpelier Elementary
Mark & Patricia Austin
Doris Fortier & Maurice Fortier Sr.
Dr. Mark & Bonita George
In Memory Of Dot & Bino Lavin and
Caroline & Frank Scott
Henry & Arlene Perkins
Andre & Arlene Rouleau
Hope Loso
A. Mhairi Paget
Valerie & Donald Ferris
Betsy & Michael Cody Family
In Memory of Bud & Betty Cody
Cobble Hill Grange 453
Estell Tanguay
Donald, Stephen & Jeffrey Lyons
Christine Litchfield
In Memory Of Art Hill
Marilyn & Peter Goodell
In Memory Of Stanley Goodell
Nancy Couch
In Memory Of Allan G. Couch
Robert & Mary Ann Couture
Eleanor Perreault & Eleanor Kaczmarek
Gary & Anita Rogers
Geraldine Gilman
In Memory Of Arnold Gilman
Janice Bevins
Helene Thomas & Ruth Thomas-Squire
In Memory Of Perley Thomas
Anonymous
Beth Sabins, Kim Daniels, Kiplyn
Sabens
Abby’s Self-Storage LLC
Cody Chevrolet
Cheryl Peterson
Linda Clark
Lois Lefreniere
Ted & Pat Nelson
Vermont Buildings & General Services
(VSG)
Mary M. Perrault
Inabelle Peake
Carolyn Wells
Edward & Sally Leszko
Ronald & Dawn Stocker
Gordon & Nancy Olson
Paul & Kathy Grupp
Wally & Laurel Farnum
Ture Nelson
Gary & Carole Hass
Harley Jordan
In Memory Of Nadine Miller
& Harry S. Deitrich
Bruce & Irene Haskell
Betsy & Stephen Kelty, Sr. & Family
In Memory of Ed & Irene Cook
Barre Rotary Club
December 27, 2017 The WORLD page 9
A
N
T