Office of Medical Communications

Jon Porter, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine, medical director of the Comprehensive Pain Program, and director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Vermont

(NOVEMBER 6, 2023) The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) in the State of Vermont’s Agency of Human Services and the UVM Medical Center (UVMMC) announced that Vermont Medicaid is entering a pilot program that will allow its members to participate in the Partners Aligned in Transformative Healing (PATH) program at UVMMC’s Comprehensive Pain Program (CPP), a clinical arm of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Vermont, according to WCAX-TV. Up to 100 Medicaid members suffering from chronic pain will be able to participate in the pilot program.

Launched in 2019, PATH is a 16-week outpatient program that approaches chronic pain from a “whole person” perspective, melding conventional medical treatment with complementary therapies. Through the program, participants are afforded access to a range of integrative therapies—many, such as reiki, massage therapy, culinary medicine, and yoga, not previously covered by Medicaid. In addition, participants will engage in group and a variety of other therapies, including psychologically informed physical therapy, health coaching, nutrition, and occupational therapy. The program has demonstrated success in improving participants’ level of comfort and ability to engage in activities meaningful in optimizing the quality of their lives. By treating chronic pain holistically, PATH participants gain a variety of skills and techniques to manage symptoms, increase comfort, and improve function.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Medicaid and now have the opportunity to offer this whole-person approach to individuals who receive their health care coverage through Medicaid. A crucial component of our mission is working to eliminate disparities in access to care. Our agreement with DVHA is a tremendously important step forward in this direction,” said Jon Porter, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine, medical director of the Comprehensive Pain Program, and director of the Osher Center.

“We are excited to be partnering with UVM Medical Center on this pilot and proud that Vermont will be the first Medicaid program in the country to participate in this in this type of program,” said Michael Rapaport, M.D., DVHA’s chief medical officer.

PATH participants must meet certain eligibility criteria and must be referred into the program by their physician. Each cohort is limited to 10-12 people, and group work is a core component of the approach.