Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Tom Pelham to the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB). He will begin serving immediately, filling the position vacated by Con Hogan in September.
Pelham brings more than 16 years of financial management and budgeting experience with the State of Vermont to the Board, which is responsible for regulating Vermont’s health care system and has a mission to reduce the rate of health care cost growth while ensuring high quality, accessible care for Vermonters.
“I want to first thank Con for his service to the Green Mountain Care Board, and his work as a public servant for nearly six decades,” said Gov. Phil Scott. “Given the institutional memory Con brought to the Board, appointing someone with a comparable background and historic knowledge of government, finance and our health care system is important. Tom is an accomplished public official and his background and experience will serve the Board and the people of Vermont well.”
Pelham’s career with the State includes serving as Deputy Secretary of Administration and Tax Commissioner under Governor Jim Douglas, and as Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Management under Governor Howard Dean. As Finance Commissioner during the creation and enactment of the Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP), Pelham was responsible for creating the fiscal capacity to expand health insurance while ensuring the financial sustainability of the program. He also served as Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs under Governors Madeleine Kunin and Richard Snelling.
In 2002, Pelham was elected as an Independent to serve Vermont’s Washington 6 District in the House of Representatives. While serving on the House Appropriations Committee, he and Rep. Patty O’Donnell (R-Vernon) crafted a major restructuring of Vermont’s Medicaid health care premium and co-pay system. Their proposal offered fundamental reforms linking premium rates to the ability to pay, which were substantially enacted in the 2004 budget bill.
“Having spent my entire career working to find solutions to complex financial problems and to improve services and operations while applying fiscal discipline, I’m excited to contribute to the state’s efforts to continuously strengthen our health care system and ensure affordable access to health care for all Vermonters,” said Pelham. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members in this capacity.”
From 1971 to 1989, Pelham resided in Massachusetts where he held leadership positions at multiple levels of state and local government, including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan (Boston) Area Planning Council, and with the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Planning & Community Development and the Housing Authority for the City of Somerville.
Pelham is a native Vermonter from Arlington and now resides in Berlin. He graduated from Arlington Memorial High School, earned his B.A. from Tufts University and his M.A. from Harvard University.