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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has 
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been duly passed by the United States Congress and signed into 
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law on February 17, 2009 by President Barack Obama; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Among its many provisions, the Act provides 
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additional Medicaid assistance to the states through enhanced 
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federal matching funds for 27 months beginning in April of 
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2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, It is estimated that Illinois will be eligible to 
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receive an estimated $3 billion as a result of the enhanced 
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federal matching funds over the 27-month period; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Eligibility will be contingent, in part, on 
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Medicaid providers being paid in a timely fashion; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Medicaid providers are forced to bear the 
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financial burden of the State's failure to pay Medicaid bills 
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on time, which forces providers to  absorb the costs of 
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short-term borrowing to keep their programs afloat; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Failure to timely pay providers for services 
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rendered not only places the State's service delivery system at 
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risk, but threatens the lives, safety, and well-being of 
 


 






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Illinois' poor, many of whom are the very oldest and very 
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youngest in our State; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act not 
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only provides Illinois with the opportunity to correct this 
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problem, but indeed requires the State to reduce payment cycles 
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to 30 days by June 1, 2009 for many Medicaid providers to 
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qualify for the enhanced federal matching funds; and

 
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    WHEREAS, This 3-month grace period provides Illinois with a 
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window of time to address the chronic payment cycle problems 
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that have plagued the State's Medicaid reimbursement system; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
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CONCURRING HEREIN, that enhanced federal matching funds must 
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first be used to pay past-due Medicaid bills to providers whose 
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payment cycles must be at 30 days prior to June 1, 2009 for the 
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State to continue to receive the enhanced federal matching 
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funds; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois direct all other 
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necessary resources to paying past-due Medicaid bills to 
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providers whose payment cycles must be at 30 days prior to June 
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1, 2009 for the State to continue to receive the enhanced 
 


 






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matching funds to the extent that enhanced federal matching 
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funds are insufficient to meet the 30-day mandate; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the General Assembly, in cooperation with 
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the Governor, the Attorney General, the Comptroller, and the 
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Treasurer take all necessary actions to meet this priority; and 
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be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the 
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Comptroller, and the Treasurer.