UVM Health Network to Cut Dialysis Services in Rural Vermont Communities, Including St. Albans, Due to Budget Constraints
Nathan Thibault, a 41-year-old dialysis patient, relies on the UVM Health Network’s dialysis center in St. Albans for life-sustaining treatment, which he undergoes three times a week after his work hours. “It’s only when you’re face-to-face with your own mortality, and death becomes a harsh reality that you start to think, ‘this is a battle worth fighting, and I’ll do everything I can to stay alive,'” Thibault shared, encapsulating the gravity of his situation.
During his five-hour treatment sessions, Thibault has formed strong bonds with the staff, which has become an extended family to him. “The patients here are like my second family, and the staff is incredibly friendly and supportive,” he said, highlighting the emotional impact of the potential closure on patients.
Janet Wells, a dedicated Dialysis Technician and UVMMC union member with 27 years of service, echoed Thibault’s sentiments, saying, “To me, this clinic feels like home. The patients are indeed like family, and it’s heartbreaking to think that this home might be gone soon.”
The UVM Health Network recently announced its plan to end staffing and operations at its rural clinics, including those in St. Albans, Newport, and Rutland, over the next few months. The network is exploring the possibility of neighboring hospitals, like Northwestern Medical Center, taking over the management of these clinics, but UVMMC CEO Sunil “Sunny” Eappen pointed out that this could lead to financial losses due to low Medicare reimbursement rates.
As Medicare covers most dialysis patients in the United States, including Thibault, the federal insurance program reimburses hospitals at a fraction of the staggering $100,000 annual cost per patient. Notably, Medicaid, which is more prevalent in rural and poorer areas like St. Albans, Newport, and Rutland, reimburses even less than Medicare, exacerbating the financial challenges faced by these clinics.
According to Eappen, if local hospitals decline to take over the clinics, two alternative options are being considered: national dialysis services could step in, or patients might be forced to seek treatment at out-of-state clinics, a prospect that fills Thibault with concern. “The time burden of traveling to clinics outside of Vermont would be overwhelming for many patients, and I fear it could have dire consequences for their well-being and, ultimately, their lives,” he emphasized.
UVM has promised to find Wells another position within the network, but she is hesitant to abandon her patients and her community after nearly three decades of service. “The thought of losing my pay, seniority, and benefits weighs heavily on me, and I’m not ready to give up on this community just yet,” Wells confessed.
WCAX has reached out to the UVM Health Network and the Green Mountain Care Board for more information on the next steps regarding the St. Albans dialysis center, but both organizations say that discussions are still in the early stages, with possible updates expected to be released next week.
