Lucie L. Garand

Lucie Garand is a member of the Government Affairs Group.  Her work focuses on legislative and regulatory affairs.  She is also a member of DRM’s cross-practice ARRA-Stimulus team, which actively monitors and interprets federal and state developments related to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Before joining DRM in September 2007, she worked at the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS) for more than 20 years, working in several capacities.  For the last six years she was VAHHS’ director of state legislative affairs and emergency preparedness. 

Lucie’s responsibilities at the association included tracking state and federal legislation and monitoring daily legislative activities, including committee hearings, floor debates and press conferences.  She coordinated legislative hearings and other meetings with member hospitals and legislators as needed, testified before legislative committees and authored the weekly legislative report that was provided to all Vermont hospital executives and hospital boards of trustees. 

In her role as director of emergency preparedness, she assisted hospitals, health care providers and government emergency management agencies, coordinating their role in emergency planning in Vermont, regionally, and in the United States and Canada.

• worked with member hospitals to protect their interests during traditional Medicaid and Medicaid Waiver payment reform.
• successfully lobbied for hospital reimbursement rate under state health care reform program at cost plus 10 percent.
• obtained a $1 million increase for hospital reimbursement in the state budget for 2006 and 2007.
• worked collaboratively with state agencies for liability and tort protection for medical professionals who volunteer for state agencies.
• worked closely with health care organizations and insurers for voluntary versus mandatory funding of the Vermont Information Technology Leaders program.
• successfully promoted legislation that eases Certificate of Need (CON) regulations for hospitals, increases CON thresholds, and offers expedited review for information technology CONs.

Lucie has served on a number of state and regional committees related to emergency preparedness.  She served on the Vermont Department of Health Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee, the Homeland Security Grants Advisory Committee, the Northern New England Metropolitan Response System Steering Committee and the Northern New England Poison Control Advisory Council. She was appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council by Governor James H. Douglas.

Lucie has coached elementary school basketball, enjoys golf, the beach, spending time with her family and friends, traveling and reading.