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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, At present the debate over federal health care | ||||||
| 3 | reform legislation, while generating intense debate, | ||||||
| 4 | nonetheless appears to include a substantial consensus on | ||||||
| 5 | several key points: reduce the long-term growth of health care; | ||||||
| 6 | protect families from bankruptcy because of health care costs; | ||||||
| 7 | invest in prevention and wellness; improve patient safety and | ||||||
| 8 | quality of care; assure affordable, quality health insurance | ||||||
| 9 | coverage for all Americans, including those who change jobs or | ||||||
| 10 | lose their jobs; and eliminate pre-existing medical condition | ||||||
| 11 | insurance restrictions; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, A significant part of the debate over health care | ||||||
| 13 | reform legislation revolves around whether to include a public | ||||||
| 14 | option which would be an insurance plan operated by the federal | ||||||
| 15 | government that would negotiate payment rates with doctors, | ||||||
| 16 | hospitals, and other health care providers; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Supporters of a public option assert that it would | ||||||
| 18 | benefit consumers because it would save money since it would | ||||||
| 19 | not need to produce a profit, operate with lower overhead, use | ||||||
| 20 | the government's bargaining power to negotiate payments to | ||||||
| 21 | hospitals and doctors, and hold insurance companies | ||||||
| 22 | accountable through choice and competition; and
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Currently the most discussed legislative proposal | ||||||
| 2 | includes a public option operated by the federal government | ||||||
| 3 | which would permit a state to opt out of participating in the | ||||||
| 4 | public option by adopting a law to that effect; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, It is important that the citizens of Illinois know | ||||||
| 6 | that their elected officials serving in the House of | ||||||
| 7 | Representatives: share their concerns about the availability | ||||||
| 8 | and affordability of quality health care services and | ||||||
| 9 | comprehensive health insurance; and wish to communicate their | ||||||
| 10 | determination, if faced with federal health care reform laws | ||||||
| 11 | that include a public option and a state opt out provision, to | ||||||
| 12 | act to maintain the availability of a public option for | ||||||
| 13 | Illinois residents, whether that be by refusing to opt out or | ||||||
| 14 | by creating an public option for Illinois residents as part of | ||||||
| 15 | any legislation that opts out of the national program; | ||||||
| 16 | therefore, be it
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| 17 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
| 18 | NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 19 | that we urge the United States Congress to adopt meaningful | ||||||
| 20 | health care reform legislation that completely addresses the | ||||||
| 21 | key points upon which there is broad consensus; and be it | ||||||
| 22 | further
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| 23 | RESOLVED, That the members of the House of Representatives, | ||||||
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| 1 | if faced with federal law that provides for a public option | ||||||
| 2 | with an option for states to opt out, will decline the opt out | ||||||
| 3 | option or, if the opt out provision is exercised, create a | ||||||
| 4 | public option for Illinois residents; and be it further
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| 5 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 6 | delivered to President Obama, the Majority Leader and Minority | ||||||
| 7 | Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority | ||||||
| 8 | Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to | ||||||
| 9 | each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.
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