Kathleen Gill, 35, and her husband, Daniel Fifield, 38, have dangerous jobs working with large animals: She is a mobile equine veterinarian; he’s a dairy farmer. The Cornwall residents have both been hurt on the job and need health insurance. But monthly premiums for the family of four rose from 23 cents last year to $2,622.15 this year. They will pay $31,465.80 in premiums in 2026 — more than their mortgage.
A number of factors have led to the sharp increase. Affordable Care Act subsidies, which began during the pandemic, have expired. Though Democratic legislators fought for an extension during the longest federal government shutdown in American history, it wasn’t enough. And in Vermont, health insurance premiums have skyrocketed annually — 40 to 60 percent over the past five years, according to Owen Foster, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board.
Gill and Fifield chose a bronze Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont plan on Vermont Health Connect, with an out-of-pocket limit of $20,300 for the family. That means if two family members have an expensive medical emergency, they will pay $51,765.80 in premiums and deductibles before the insurance kicks in fully. That’s about a third of the couple’s combined income.
Gill has met her deductible only twice, when she gave birth to her two daughters. The couple considered having a third child, but high medical costs were one factor that deterred them. They hand-built their timber-frame home a few years ago with help from family members. As painful as the new premiums are, Gill and Fifield refuse to be uninsured and risk losing their home due to high medical bills.
In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger met the family in Cornwall and learned about Gill’s experiences navigating the complex health care landscape.
Jo Robinson, 43, is a Burlington resident who works in school nutrition. She did not have insurance on January 9 when she slipped on ice and broke her ankle and foot. After an ambulance ride to the University of Vermont Medical Center, she was billed more than $4,000 for treatment. Because she was paying out of pocket, the cost was reduced to $2,385.25. A week later, she was in pain and had her cast reset at Fanny Allen Urgent Care in Colchester for $169, reduced to $92.95. Robinson has not yet received the ambulance bill. Her health insurance starts in mid-February at her new job — she’ll be making meals for preschool kids.
Sollberger also talked with Ellen Repstad, a 48-year-old self-employed therapist from Bristol. Repstad is going without health insurance this year due to the high cost. She has type 2 diabetes and will pay for her monthly medications out of pocket. Repstad plans to shop around for the least expensive care and will consider traveling abroad to save money on procedures. She says she is not giving up on health care, just on health insurance.
This episode of “Stuck in Vermont” was supported by The Vermont Community Foundation.
This article appears in January 21 • 2026.
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