This commentary was written by our CEO Sandy Rousse and appeared in the Saturday, March 26, 2022 issue of the Times-Argus. For questions, or to learn more about why we fundraise and request annual funding from our local communities, email marketing@cvhhh.org. We will follow up with you.
People are sometimes surprised to hear that fundraising and development are critical to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice’s (CVHHH) sustainability and future. They may know that approximately 80% of CVHHH’s operating revenue comes from Medicare and Medicaid as reimbursement for skilled medical care, education, and supportive-care services provided to Central Vermonters of all ages at home. They may also know that Medicare and Medicaid are insurance programs administered by the federal government which provide healthcare coverage for tens of millions of Americans. Recently, following an outreach campaign asking voters to support our annual town funding request, we received a handful of questions and emails from Central Vermonters asking why CVHHH needs funding from private donors, organizations, and taxpayers to support operations, staff development, and program growth.
This is not an uncommon question, and I consider it my responsibility to help the community understand why we fundraise and ask for town funding support every year.
The first part of my answer focuses on CVHHH’s funding structure. We employ about 175 staff—registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, home health aides, personal care attendants, social workers, nurse practitioners, rehab therapists, wound-care specialists, and a team of administrative professionals. The cost to pay these dedicated individuals’ wages and benefits makes up 80% of our operating expenses. Remember that approximately 80% of CVHHH’s operating revenue comes from Medicare and Medicaid. The rates we are reimbursed by these two entities for services provided in the community are non-negotiable, which puts our organization at an operational break-even (with revenue being equal to expenses) before our clinicians and direct care providers knock on their clients’ front doors. Unlike other healthcare providers across the continuum, we cannot shift costs to other payors such as private or commercial insurers. Fundraising and town funds help us bridge the gap between the value of the care we provide and what we are reimbursed to provide the care. It is essential.
A lack of sufficient reimbursement from our primary payors has never meant that we limit the services we are qualified to provide. If you read my columns in this paper over the last two years, you know that CVHHH remained open for business to care for Central Vermonters throughout the pandemic and expanded service offerings to meet people’s COVID-related needs.
While many of our partners were forced to temporarily close their doors or shift to remote care, CVHHH kept its doors open and safely provided the full range of medical care and other services to people at home. We expanded telehealth services to provide regular check-ins with some clients to mitigate the effects of isolation. We also strengthened partnerships with several local EMS departments to support individuals in the community who needed care, including homebound individuals not enrolled in CVHHH programs, and to administer thousands of COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and boosters to Central Vermonters at home. This collaboration ensured that people got the care they needed, kept first responders available to respond to true emergencies, and conserved personal protective equipment, which was in high demand.
I like to say that CVHHH is the original community healthcare provider. This is because at CVHHH, community healthcare is not a buzzword. It is a way of life, and it’s a part of our origin story. It used to be that communities employed town nurses to provide care for residents. In fact, the seed for what would become CVHHH was planted over 110 years ago, when the Women’s Club of Montpelier hired Eleanor Black as its first District Nurse to provide support in the community for physicians making home visits.
CVHHH’s reason for being is, and always has been, our community, and the people we care for are our neighbors, friends, family members, and loved ones. I believe that our services are essential to the health and resilience of the 23 communities we serve. Just as firefighters, emergency medical crews, and roads crews make it possible for life as we know it to go on and for our communities to thrive, CVHHH’s services ensure that all Central Vermonters, including people who are under or uninsured, have equal access to hospital-level medical care from skilled and compassionate clinicians and caregivers whenever they need it. The consistent availability of CVHHH’s services means that people can avoid unnecessary and expensive hospitalizations or stays in facilities that, in the long run, drive up the cost of healthcare for everyone. With support from CVHHH, people can stay in their own homes where they can maintain vital connections to their families, friends, and communities.
On Town Meeting Day, just a few weeks ago, 22 of the 23 communities who cast votes (Barre Town votes in May) voted in favor of CVHHH’s town funding request. Thanks to our generous registered voters, CVHHH raised $145,000 that we will put right back into supporting essential services for Central Vermonters. Thank you for trusting CVHHH with your care and for supporting our funding request again in 2022. We are here for you.