093_SJ0015

 
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 1                       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Medicaid is a medical assistance program to  low
 3    income and uninsured individuals that is jointly administered
 4    by the state and federal government; and

 5        WHEREAS,  The  federal  funding mechanism for Medicaid is
 6    driven by a state's per capita income; and

 7        WHEREAS, The federal funding mechanism for  Medicaid  has
 8    not  significantly  changed  since  the program's creation in
 9    1965; and

10        WHEREAS,  The  United  States  economy  has   drastically
11    changed since 1965; and

12        WHEREAS,  Federal  medical  assistance  percentage (FMAP)
13    rates vary from 50% to 76%; and

14        WHEREAS, Illinois is one  of  the  only  nine  states  to
15    receive the lowest FMAP rate of 50%; and

16        WHEREAS,  Of  the  nine  states receiving the lowest FMAP
17    rate, Illinois has the highest unemployment rate; and

18        WHEREAS, Of the nine states  receiving  the  lowest  FMAP
19    rate,  Illinois  is  second  only  to  New  Hampshire  in the
20    percentage  of  manufacturing  jobs  in  the  state  and   is
21    therefore more vulnerable to economic slowdowns; and

22        WHEREAS,  Of  the  nine  states receiving the lowest FMAP
23    rate, Illinois is the only state with a substantially  higher
24    Medicaid  population in relation to the percentage of federal
25    Medicaid funding received; and

26        WHEREAS,  Illinois  contributes  more  than  $1   billion
27    annually,  an  amount equal to almost 15% of its annual state
28    income tax collections, for the support of Medicaid  programs
29    in other states; and
 
                            -2-       SRS09300042 GLC 00042 r
 1        WHEREAS,  Illinois  only  recovers  73 cents of every tax
 2    dollar sent to the federal government; and

 3        WHEREAS, Illinois would receive approximately $80 million
 4    from the federal government for every 1% increase in the FMAP
 5    rate; therefore, be it

 6        RESOLVED, BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL
 7    ASSEMBLY   OF   THE   STATE   OF   ILLINOIS,   THE  HOUSE  OF
 8    REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, That we find  Illinois  to
 9    be  a  unique  state in the Medicaid system, contributing far
10    more than it receives  and  being  far  more  susceptible  to
11    economic slowdowns than other states; and be it further

12        RESOLVED,  That  we  ask  and encourage the United States
13    Congress to consider these factors in devising  a  sufficient
14    Medicaid  funding  mechanism  that does less harm to Illinois
15    taxpayers; and be it further

16        RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be sent
17    to each member  of  the  Illinois  Congressional  delegation,
18    United States Senator Peter Fitxgerald, United States Senator
19    Richard  Durbin  and  United  States  Senate  Majority Leader
20    William Frist, M.D.