SR0546 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0546 LRB104 16999 MST 30413 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in 2010 and implemented in 2014, promised lower premiums by $2,500 per family and the ability to keep one's doctor, promises that have not been realized, with premiums increasing by an average of 129% from 2014 to 2019; and

WHEREAS, Illinois fully embraced the ACA by passing legislation that eliminated all other health insurance options, banning temporary or short-term medical plans, and mandating broad coverages such as maternity, infertility, TMJ, broad mental health and substance abuse, and biomarker testing for all residents regardless of age or sex, effectively creating a one-size-fits-all plan that eliminated consumer choice for approximately 500,000 Illinoisans; and

WHEREAS, The elimination of the individual mandate led to healthy individuals dropping coverage while those with higher needs enrolled, exacerbating losses, and the lack of safeguards has resulted in rampant fraud estimated at more than $25 billion annually, including instances where a single Social Security Number was used for over 125 policies in 2023, coverage for at least 7,000 deceased individuals, and $94 million in subsidies for fictitious applicants in 2015; and

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal subsidies masked the true skyrocketing costs of ACA plans, with subsidies increasing from $92 billion in 2023 to $138 billion in 2025, but even with continued subsidies, rates were projected to rise 26% in the current year; and

WHEREAS, With the expiration of COVID-era subsidies on December 31, 2025, approximately 250,000 of the 500,000 Illinoisans on ACA plans face rate increases exceeding 100%, revealing the unmasked costs and financially devastating families, while politicians and bureaucrats remain insulated from these impacts; and

WHEREAS, When government experiments with health care, it is not the politicians and bureaucrats who suffer, but the citizens forced onto these plans; and

WHEREAS, Partisan divides persist, with Democrats seeking a three-year extension of subsidies at a cost exceeding $100 billion without funding mechanisms or reforms, and Republicans advocating for consumer vouchers and greater choice, though such changes cannot be implemented immediately; and

WHEREAS, To provide immediate relief, Illinois Senate Bill 2763 has been introduced to allow full deductions of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for individuals on ACA plans starting January 1, 2026, aligning treatment with those on employer-based plans; and

WHEREAS, A one-year extension of subsidies is necessary to prevent immediate financial devastation, coupled with stricter oversight to address fraud, but Congress must be compelled to resolve the ACA's underlying issues within that timeframe rather than perpetuating extensions; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Congress to enact a one-year extension of ACA subsidies through December 31, 2026, with enhanced oversight mechanisms to combat the estimated $25 billion in annual fraud, including stricter verification processes for enrollments and penalties for fraudulent activities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That to ensure timely resolution, Congress is urged to include a clause in the extension legislation stipulating that, if comprehensive ACA reforms are not enacted by December 31, 2026, all members of Congress and the United States Senate shall forfeit their government health plan subsidies effective January 1, 2027, thereby aligning their incentives with those of the taxpayers who fund over 75% of their premiums.