The Vineyard Health Care Access Program is holding a public information meeting for legal permanent residents who used to have Commonwealth Care health insurance and lost their coverage due to state budget cuts. The new plan, called Commonwealth Care Bridge Health Plan, began for most of these members on Martha’s Vineyard on Nov. 1.

Representatives of CeltiCare, the health insurance company that offers the Commonwealth Care Bridge Health Plan, will discuss the benefits, costs and participating providers, and answer questions.

The Vineyard Health Care Access Program is sponsoring a workshop for local employers about rules regarding health insurance enacted as part of the state’s health care reform program.

The workshop is set for Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in the library conference room.

The fight to keep funding intact for the Vineyard Health Care Access Program continued without letup last week during a meeting of the county advisory board on the county operating budget for the coming year.

Members of the Dukes County Health Council, the charter study commission, concerned residents and county commissioners packed the county administration building on their lunch breaks last Thursday to watch as the advisory board voted to approve a draft $1.9 million operating budget for the coming fiscal year.