After first announcing a May closure for the local health center, Central Vermont Medical Center is now reporting that the facility’s final day of seeing patients will be September 26.
That is the word from CVMC spokesperson Jay Ericson who said construction is currently underway at the Waterbury Family Practice to provide additional space for the staff of Mad River Family Practice who will move there to see their patients. The family practice leases space from the Mad River Valley Health Center.
“The target date to move Mad River Family Medicine services to Waterbury is October 1, 2025. Our final day seeing patients in our current location at the MRVHC will be September 26, 2025. Additionally, our lease agreement with the MRVHC will end effective October 15, 2025. We are currently working out details with their board,” Ericson said, adding that a letter to all current patients was being finalized and would be sent soon.
The Valley Reporter reached out to CVMC for updated information after hearing from local folks with upcoming appointments at the clinic who wanted to know where they will be going for their care and whether they will need to find transportation to Waterbury.
One of the issues for local folks, in having the health center closed, is transportation to the Waterbury location. With the exception of Free Wheelin’ there are no transportation options or public transportation available to get to Waterbury.
Polly Bednash is vice-president of the Mad River Valley Health Center Board, the nonprofit that has run the health center facility. She said that CVMC has refused to provide the board with any financials to verify its statements about the health center losing money, other than the Form 990 it must file as a nonprofit.
She said that the board has continued to seek a medical practice or provider to take over the space, which CVMC has occupied since 2016. Three potential practices/providers were allowed to view the financials, after signing a non-disclosure agreement, but Bednash said they were unable to make the numbers work.
“It’s been very frustrating,” Bednash said.
Last fall, CVMC announced plans to close the local clinic as well as a nearby physical therapy practice as part of the network’s efforts to close a $16.2 million budget deficit related to a Green Mountain Care Board’s decision to limit the University of Vermont Medical Center’s (UVMMC) increases in patient revenue and rates for commercial insurers. UVMMC is CVMC’s parent organization.
