Vermont

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders backs bill eliminating medical debt

Published

2 years ago

May 8, 2024

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders backs bill eliminating medical debt

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, joined by colleagues in the U.S. Senate and House, is sponsoring a bill that would wipe out the approximately $220 billion in medical debt that’s held by millions of Americans.

The bill introduced Wednesday also would remove the debt from credit reports and “drastically limit the accrual of future medical debt,” according to a statement that Sanders’ office released Wednesday.

The Vermont independent is joined on the bill by U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Democratic U.S. Reps. Ro Khanna, of California, and Rashida Tlaib, of Michigan.

“No one in America should face financial ruin because of the outrageous cost of an unexpected medical emergency or a hospital stay,” Sanders said in a statement. “The time has come to cancel all medical debt and guarantee health care to all as a human right, not a privilege.”

More than a quarter (27%) of all working-age adults nationwide owe $500 or more in medical debt, and 15% have medical debt of $2,000 or more, Sanders’ office said.

“Patients should be able to get the care they need when facing illness or injury without fear of financial ruin,” Merkley said in the joint statement. “America’s medical debt crisis continues to harm millions, and Congress must do all it can to relieve patients of this tremendous burden.”

As it’s currently written, the legislation would:

[Make] “it illegal to collect medical debt incurred prior to the bill’s enactment and creating a private right of action for patients;”
Wipe “medical debt from credit reports by preventing credit reporting agencies from reporting information related to debt that arose from medical expenses;”
“Create a grant program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to cancel medical debt, prioritizing low-resource providers and vulnerable populations,” and
Amend “the Public Health Service Act, updating billing and debt collection requirements to limit the potential for future debt to be incurred,” Sanders’ office said in its joint statement.

The data show that “earlier is better when it comes to medical debt relief,” Neale Mahoney, an economist and medical debt expert at Stanford University, said.

“This bill cuts off medical debt at the source by requiring hospitals to uphold their obligation to provide charity care to eligible patients who cannot afford to pay and supports hospitals so they can forgive debt before it gets sold to debt collectors,” Mahoney said.

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Vermont

VT Lottery Lucky For Life, Pick 3 results for Jan. 4, 2026

Published

25 minutes ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life VT numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

03-08-13-38-47, Lucky Ball: 02

Check Lucky For Life VT payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Day: 5-2-1

Evening: 0-7-7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Day: 7-8-2-2

Evening: 0-2-9-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Vermont

Vermont’s congressional delegation condemns attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro – VTDigger

Published

13 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont’s congressional delegation condemns attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro – VTDigger

Sen. Bernie Sanders, left, Rep. Becca Balint, center, and Sen. Peter Welch. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

Vermont’s congressional delegation condemned the U.S. military’s attack on Venezuela over the weekend that led to the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and Vermont Democrats U.S. Sen. Peter Welch and U.S. Rep Becca Balint, all labeled Maduro a brutal authoritarian but said President Donald Trump’s attacks on the South American country exceeded his constitutional authority.

“Trump’s attack on Venezuela will make the United States and the world less safe. This brazen violation of international law gives a green light to any nation on earth that may wish to attack another country to seize their resources or change their governments,” Sanders said in a statement.

U.S. forces entered the Venezuelan capital of Caracas overnight Friday into Saturday, and more than 100 U.S. aircraft helped neutralize the country’s air defenses, the New York Times reported. More than 40 people were killed, according to Venezuelan authorities, though Trump said there were no Americans killed in the attack.

American troops captured both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, later transporting them out of the country, according to news reports. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would face charges in the U.S. of narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy, among other charges.

Trump said Saturday that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela while a transfer of power took place. The details of that plan were not immediately clear, though many of Trump’s comments focused on growing the Venezuelan oil industry.

Vermont’s top federal lawmakers wasted little time in condemning the military escalation. They had similarly criticized the staging of Vermont Air National Guard members in the Caribbean to support the military buildup against Venezuela.

“President Trump’s hunger for a regime change war makes it clear he doesn’t care about how this unauthorized and illegal action could cause further chaos and suffering in Venezuela. Has he learned nothing from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya?” Welch said in a statement Saturday. “This could lead us into another forever war, risking the lives of U.S. service members and hurting the economy.”

Balint, in her own statement, said the U.S. had made “these horrible mistakes before.”

“Americans do not want another war,” she said.

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Vermont

Vermont by Hamilton Homebuilders | 4 bed, 3 bath mobile house tour

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont by Hamilton Homebuilders | 4 bed, 3 bath mobile house tour

This double wide is MEGA-SIZED and has living room, den, and a massive kitchen! The manufacturer for this house is Hamilton Homebuilders. The model for this home is the “Vermont.” This home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and has roughly 2,280 square foot. Let me know what you think about the video! I hope you enjoy this mobile home walk through video.

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