Act No. 15 Page 1 of 1
2023
This act summary is provided for the convenience of the public and members of the General Assembly. It
is intended to provide a general summary of the act and may not be exhaustive. It has been prepared by the
staff of the Office of Legislative Counsel without input from members of the General Assembly. It is not
intended to aid in the interpretation of legislation or to serve as a source of legislative intent.
Act No. 15 (S. 37). An act relating to access to legally protected health care activity and
regulation of health care providers
Subjects: Health insurance; professional regulation; health care; Office of
Professional Regulation; health care providers; Board of Medical Practice;
pregnancy centers; reproductive health care services; gender-affirming health care
services; medical malpractice insurance; emergency contraception; protected health
information
This act adds definitions to statute for the terms “gender-affirming health care
services,” “legally protected health care activity,” and “reproductive health care
services;” prohibits a medical malpractice insurer from adjusting a health care provider’s
risk classification or premium charges based on the health provider providing legally
protected health care activity; requires (in statute) that health insurance plans and
Medicaid cover gender-affirming health care services and abortion-related services;
prohibits a health care provider from being subject to professional disciplinary action for
providing or assisting in the provision of legally protected health care activity and
establishes new unprofessional conduct standards; establishes a new “unfair and
deceptive act” regarding limited-services pregnancy centers to prohibit false and
misleading advertising about services; requires the Green Mountain Care Board and the
Agency of Human Services to include access to reproductive and gender-affirming health
care services as part of ongoing projects and analyses; requires the Office of Professional
Regulation to submit a report regarding the State’s participation in interstate compacts
(current and future) and directs Vermont compact delegates to support protections for
health care providers in compacts; allows pharmacists to prescribe emergency
contraception and permits pharmacies and colleges and universities to make
nonprescription emergency contraception and other contraceptives available by vending
machine; requires Vermont’s public institutions of higher education to report on their
students’ access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services; and, lastly,
limits the circumstances under which covered entities and business associates may
disclose information regarding legally protected health care activity.
Multiple effective dates, beginning on May 10, 2023
VT LEG #370784 v.2


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 18-1881
As Passed By the Senate -- Official: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 18-1881, 26-56, 26-36
As Passed By the Senate -- Unofficial: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 26-56, 26-36, 18-1881
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 18-1881, 26-56, 26-36, 18-9405
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 18-9405, 26-56, 26-36, 18-1881
As Enacted: 8-129, 3-129a, 26-1354, 18-9405, 26-56, 26-36, 18-1881