Full Text of HJR0089 095th General Assembly
HJ0089 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
HJ0089 |
|
LRB095 15707 DRJ 41714 r |
|
| 1 |
| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, Many Illinois residents who are at risk of | 3 |
| unnecessary or premature institutionalization receive in-home | 4 |
| personal care services such as help with bathing, dressing, and | 5 |
| personal hygiene; help with mobility, including help in getting | 6 |
| to and from the bathroom; housekeeping and laundry; meal | 7 |
| preparation; help in dealing with memory loss or confusion; and | 8 |
| assistance with medications; these services enable them to | 9 |
| remain in their homes instead of being placed in an | 10 |
| institution; and
| 11 |
| WHEREAS, There are many times when care, including in-home | 12 |
| personal care, is most effective and satisfying to the consumer | 13 |
| if it is provided by the consumer's spouse; and
| 14 |
| WHEREAS, Historically, federal funding was available to | 15 |
| reimburse spouses for in-home personal care services they | 16 |
| provided; in 1989, federal law was changed to prohibit the use | 17 |
| of federal moneys to reimburse spouses for providing that care, | 18 |
| and states accordingly changed their rules to contain a similar | 19 |
| prohibition; two years ago, federal law was changed back to | 20 |
| allow spousal reimbursement, but many states, including | 21 |
| Illinois, have not changed their rules accordingly; and
| 22 |
| WHEREAS, Frustrated spouses trying to care for their ailing |
|
|
|
HJ0089 |
- 2 - |
LRB095 15707 DRJ 41714 r |
|
| 1 |
| partners while holding down a regular job should be allowed | 2 |
| compensation for providing basic care such as bathing, meal | 3 |
| preparation, and household chores; and
| 4 |
| WHEREAS, It costs less money to care for someone in their | 5 |
| home than to care for them in a facility; studies show that | 6 |
| people respond better to treatment in their own homes; and with | 7 |
| the State facing a critical shortage in health-care workers, | 8 |
| paying spouses to provide in-home personal care services is a | 9 |
| good way to alleviate the strain on the health care system; | 10 |
| therefore, be it
| 11 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 12 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 13 |
| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Department of Human | 14 |
| Services to consult with legislators, recipients of in-home | 15 |
| personal care services, and caregivers in determining whether | 16 |
| to change the Department's rules to allow payment to spouses | 17 |
| for providing those services; and be it further
| 18 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 19 |
| delivered to the Governor and to the Secretary of Human | 20 |
| Services.
|
|